ESPN grades the unexpected NFL trade deadline move that the Cleveland Browns made before the buzzer
The Browns didn’t go without making a move at the trade deadline.
The Cleveland Browns are a 2-6 football team, and some expected them to be sellers at the trade deadline. That didn’t really come to fruition, as the Browns made just one minor move on Tuesday ahead of the deadline.
Cleveland sent defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a sixth-round pick. It was a minor move that made sense for both sides, but it certainly wasn’t the type of sell-off move Cleveland could have made involving players like tight end David Njoku or right guard Wyatt Teller.
ESPN gives the Browns a “B” for their trade with the Bears
Just like here at A to Z Sports, ESPN viewed the trade in a similar way, giving it the same letter grade. Cleveland made a small, sensible move involving a player who saw limited action and now gets a chance for more playing time elsewhere. Tryon-Shoyinka, who signed with the Browns as a free agent last offseason, was on a one-year deal and saw minimal usage through eight games.
“Tryon-Shoyinka was buried on the depth chart in Cleveland and has played only 31 snaps this season behind Myles Garrett, Isaiah McGuire, and Alex Wright. He’ll get more of a chance to play with the Bears, rotating with Austin Booker (who had a nice 2025 debut on Sunday) and Daniel Hardy.” — Seth Walder, ESPN
Cleveland made three previous trades before the deadline, each with its own purpose. The addition of offensive tackle Cam Robinson from the Houston Texans addressed a lack of depth on the offensive line. The Browns also did right by Joe Flacco, sending him to the Cincinnati Bengals where he’ll have a better opportunity to play. Meanwhile, trading Greg Newsome II for Tyson Campbell already appears to be a better fit for the team.
Moving Tryon-Shoyinka gave the Browns a 2026 sixth-round pick, which they didn’t previously have. Cleveland now holds two first-round picks and three fifth-rounders, giving them 10 total selections in the upcoming draft. The Browns appear to have hit a home run with their 2025 draft class, and finding similar success again would be huge for the franchise’s future. Trading Tryon-Shoyinka was a simple, forward-thinking move—one that helps continue building for the future while parting with a player who didn’t have a clear role in the defense.
Cleveland Browns News
Grading the simple but smart trade the Cleveland Browns made by moving a surprise player at the NFL trade deadline
The Browns have made a move ahead of the trade deadline.
