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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders faced heavy pressure last season behind a patchwork offensive line.
The Cleveland Browns have significant work to do along the offensive line this offseason, and the trade market could offer a way to stabilize a unit that struggled to protect quarterbacks last season.
Protection issues were a season-long problem. Cleveland allowed 224 total pressures and 29 sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked 23 times in seven starts, though not all of those were pinned on the offensive line.
Depth was tested early and often for the unit. Four of the five opening-day starters went down with season-ending injuries. The uncertainty continues heading into next season, with guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, center Ethan Pocic, and tackle Jack Conklin all set to become free agents. The lone returning starter, Dawand Jones, is coming off a season-ending knee injury.
Browns Trade Proposal Brings Offensive Line Help
As questions swirl around the unit, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell proposed a trade that would send a fifth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for offensive tackle Walker Little and a 2027 seventh-round pick. It’s not a flashy trade but adds a veteran player with 39 starts and positional flexibility.
“I’m not sure Little is even an average left tackle, but maybe he settles in at that level on the right side or at guard,” Barnwell said. “The good news is the Browns need starters everywhere. Cam Robinson, Jack Conklin, Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and Ethan Pocic are all free agents, while tackle Dawand Jones missed most of 2025 because of hamstring and knee injuries and is entering the final year of his deal. Little would step in at one of those many openings for the Browns up front.”
Barnwell noted that Little may no longer have a clear path to a starting role in Jacksonville. After a shaky start to the season at left tackle, he lost his job following a concussion-related absence. The Jaguars experimented with moving him inside to guard. But the team could still be searching for more permanent answers along the offensive line heading into next season.
One factor working in Cleveland’s favor is Jacksonville’s history as a willing trade partner. The Browns pulled off a blockbuster draft-day deal with the Jaguars, moving back from No. 2 overall to No. 5 while also acquiring a first-round pick this year (No. 24). The two also combined for an in-season trade, bringing cornerback Tyson Campbell to Cleveland in exchange for Greg Newsome.
Browns QB Situation Unsettled
Another position the Browns could look to address via the trade market is quarterback. While Sanders enters the offseason as the presumptive favorite to open training camp as the starter after making seven starts as a rookie, the team is not operating under any assumptions.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry made it clear the organization plans to keep all avenues open as it works to stabilize the most important spot on the roster.
“It’s the hardest position to play. It can take time but, look, that’s the focus, solidifying that position. That’s the biggest thing that can lead to sustainable success,” Berry said. “That’s priority No. 1. How we accomplish that with the combination of internal options, external veteran options, the draft, that remains to be seen.”
The Browns also have quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel under contract heading into next season.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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