The Cleveland Browns are already staring at a 0-2 hole early in the 2025 season and another potentially lost season. Although it is still early in the season, experts are already expecting the Browns to position themselves as sellers at the trade deadline and potentially move either David Njoku or Greg Newsome II.
With Njoku and Newsome both proving to be skillful players on expiring contracts, either could be used as trade pieces, ESPN's Dan Graziano speculated.
“Starting the season 0-2 and seemingly already positioning themselves to be a big factor in next year's draft (two first-round picks), the Browns could very easily be dealing away players by early November,” Graziano wrote. “Cornerback Greg Newsome II and tight end David Njoku are among the veterans in the final years of their contracts who could be of interest to teams looking for help at the deadline.”
In addition to their contract situations, Newsome and Njoku both have young players seemingly ready to fill their roles. Njoku has split snaps with rookie Harold Fannin Jr., who is second on the team with 111 receiving yards through two games.
Newsome is less expendable, particularly with Martin Emerson Jr. already on IR for the rest of the year. However, second-year Myles Harden emerged as a hidden gem late in 2024 and has gotten off to a solid start in 2025.
ESPN adds Browns QB situation to trade speculation
Graziano also expects trade rumors involving quarterback Joe Flacco to ramp up each week. Should the Browns continue to lose, fan cries for rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will only increase.
“And a quarterback room that has 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders is going to keep being talked about in these types of discussions.”
The Browns have already said that they do not expect Sanders to see much time in 2025. Even if they deal Flacco, a move that seems unlikely, Gabriel will get the call.
Sanders is clearly the fan favorite, but Gabriel is the player Cleveland selected earlier in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the guy the team leaned toward in the preseason. On paper, Sanders' numbers were arguably better than those of Gabriel, but the nuances and intricate details favor the Hawaiian southpaw.
The Browns continue to stand by Flacco, but trade speculation will likely intensify each week. Cleveland's situation does not get much easier in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers, who have looked like Super Bowl contenders thus far.
