Call it hope, call it foolish, call it faith, call it homerism, call it optimism, call it whatever you would like, but the Cleveland Browns have a chance to make their season matter again with a win in Week
8 . The AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers face a tough test against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. A Browns win against the New England Patriots and a Steelers loss would put Cleveland just one game behind the division leaders.
It would also change the dynamics of the NFL trade deadline.
The Browns roster has been the focus of a lot of trade deadline discussions. If Cleveland pulls out a victory, GM Andrew Berry could be on the phone throughout the team’s bye week, but, unlike if they lose, the calls could be about acquiring players. As we’ve discussed in The Feed, WR Garrett Wilson is an interesting name to watch out for at the trade deadline.
Receiver is a position of need for the Browns, but the offensive line might be a much bigger one, especially for 2026 and beyond. Any Cleveland fan hoping to see the team add a linemen will likely be disappointed, as only seven total have been traded since 2002:
No team, whether competitive or not, has enough good offensive linemen that they can just give them away, no matter what the price, midseason. It is tough enough to acquire decent players up front, much less good ones, that trading quality talent at the position is a rarity. Those numbers also indicate that trading away Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller and/or Ethan Pocic is unlikely for the orange and brown.
The Browns acquired OT Cam Robinson in late September. The veteran fell out of favor quickly after signing with the Houston Texans this offseason. So far, Robinson has been up and down for Cleveland and has not solidified the line as the team may have hoped.
The Browns may be active at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, but don’t expect a starting-level offensive lineman to be on his way to Cleveland.
