Cleveland’s defensive line is running on thin ice. What started as a dominant unit is suddenly staring down a depth issue inside with Mason Graham out for a bit. If Andrew Berry wants to make sure this front four doesn’t gas out down the stretch, picking up a low-cost, proven tackle to hold down the fort in the trenches should be at the top of his to-do list.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox essentially handed the Browns the exact fix for their interior crisis, pointing out a veteran DT who steps right into Mike Rutenberg’s system. With Graham sidelined, Berry has zero excuses not to clear the roster spot and pull the trigger before the deadline.
“Solomon Thomas, who will be a free agent in 2027, has little long-term value to the Titans,” Knox writes. “However, he could bolster a contender’s defensive line.”
Titans’ Solomon Thomas to Browns?
Plus, Thomas’ market price is quite a bargain, and a total steal for a team needing massive bodies on their defensive line.
Knox puts Thomas’s projected market value at “conditional 2027 7th-Round Draft Pick.”
For a former third-overall pick, a conditional seventh-round pick might sound like loose change, but in reality, that’s spot-on market value for Thomas.
He’s 31, playing barely 25% of the defensive snaps, and heading into free agency in 2027. Getting any future draft capital for a backup rotational tackle on a 0-4 team isn’t a lowball—it’s just smart business before he walks for free.
Knox points out that is exactly the type of deal the Titans went for when trading Solomon from Dallas.
“The Titans traded for defensive lineman Solomon Thomas in the offseason, reuniting him with head coach Robert Saleh. While Thomas has appeared in all four games this season, he has played just 25 percent of the defensive snaps.”
Since Cam Ward is a younger player, it forces the Titans to consider bringing in another young asset in the 2027 NFL Draft. And they will take the deal if it means getting rid of a defensive lineman who, according to Knox, provides “little long-term value” to the Titans.
“Tennessee will likely use the rest of 2026 to evaluate quarterback Cam Ward and determine whether it should consider replacing him with a top 2027 prospect. Veteran players who won’t contribute toward that goal should be viewed as expendable.”
Titans Have Solid Reason to Trade Thomas for Young Talent
Titans are already in a complete reboot mode, so Robert Saleh will hardly hesitate to pull the trigger on a trade like this, especially if they’re getting a younger talent in return.
At 0-4, Tennessee isn’t in the business of holding onto expiring contracts for 30-something role players. The entire rest of this season is about finding out if Cam Ward is the real deal, and keeping a veteran like Thomas around only eats up snaps that should go to kids who might actually be here in 2027.
If a contender offers a late draft pick, the Titans will actually listen, and might as well say yes.
Plus, holding onto aging veterans makes zero sense when the 2027 draft class is loaded with young interior talent tailored for Robert Saleh’s front. Guys like Ole Miss’s Will Echoles or Oklahoma’s David Stone are the top picks, but then there’s also Ward’s ex-teammates like Ahmed Moten Sr. and Justin Scott from Miami, and even a personal connection of Saleh in Oregon’s A’Mauri Washington.
Browns Pushed to Consider Titans Veteran DL for Bargain Price As Trade Deadline Nears