The NFL trade deadline is more than a month away on Nov. 10, and plenty can happen between now and then to shape how the Cleveland Browns approach it. A couple of players might make sense for the Browns to ship elsewhere. Other players around the league could help Cleveland make a push.

Cleveland is 3-1, and one position stands out as a potential target: EDGE. If Cleveland believes it can compete for the playoffs thanks to the hot start, a veteran pass rusher like Khalil Mack could be the type of splash move worth making.

Browns could use more depth at EDGE

When Alex Wright went down with an injury in the preseason, it hurt the Browns at a position where they already needed more depth. Cleveland did opt to sign two veteran pass rushers in Sam Williams and Derek Barnett.

Williams and Barnett, along with Jared Verse and Isaiah McGuire, make up the Browns’ defensive end rotation right now. It’s a workable group, but there’s room for an upgrade. 

The defensive line has been a strong suit for Cleveland through the first four games. Adding another proven piece would only strengthen it down the stretch.

Khalil Mack makes sense for the Browns

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-4 and look like they’re going to be real sellers at the trade deadline. That means nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro Khalil Mack could be available.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter named Mack as a player to watch at the deadline, and he would be a strong fit for the Browns.

Mack has three sacks in four games and still looks the part of a solid pass rusher, even if he isn’t the force he once was. His last double-digit sack season came in 2023, when he racked up 17 of them. Over the last two seasons combined, Mack has totaled 11.5 sacks.

Again, he’s not the same player who has piled up 116 sacks over his career. Still, Mack could start opposite Verse and give the Browns quality depth with McGuire, Barnett, and Williams rotating behind them. That kind of rotation keeps everyone fresh late in games and late in the season.

This is the type of move that shouldn’t cost more than a third- or fourth-round pick at most, one would think. It’s also affordable for the Browns.

Mack is playing on a one-year, $18 million deal with the Chargers, so this would likely be a rental. However, $10 million of that is already paid in the form of a bonus. The team acquiring Mack would only pay a portion of the remaining $8 million, and that number depends on how many games he spends with his new team.

If the Browns traded for him now, 14 game weeks would remain in the NFL season. Cleveland would owe Mack all but four game checks out of that $8 million.

The deadline is still weeks away, and a lot depends on how the Browns play between now and Nov. 10. If Cleveland keeps winning and wants to bolster its defensive line, Mack is a move that should be on the radar.

It won’t cost much in draft capital or cap space, and it could give the Browns a veteran presence for a playoff push. The coming weeks will show whether the front office sees it the same way.