Cleveland Browns Should Consider Trade for Former First-Round Wide Receiver

With OTAs officially underway for the Cleveland Browns, there is still one position that is a concern heading into the 2025 season.

General manager Andrew Berry did an excellent job of rebuilding his running back room through the 2025 NFL Draft with the selections of both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. However, the wide receiver room still needs to be address, which makes Tennessee Titans' wideout Treylon Burks an intriguing option for the Browns.

Burks was the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft coming out of Arkansas, but was put under the spotlight as soon as he was selected. The Titans made a franchise-altering move to land the young wideout, as they traded star receiver AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 18 pick and a third-round pick.

Unfortunately, the move did not pan out for Tennessee, as Burks has recorded 699 receiving yards and one touchdown in his three seasons with the organization. Part of the reason why the 25-year-old has a limited amount of production in the NFL is due to the multiple injuries he's suffered throughout his career. Burks had multiple concussions during his run with the Titans, as well as him suffering a season-end knee injury in 2024.

It's clear that the new regime in Tennessee wants to part ways with the former first-round pick, as they selected both Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor in the third and fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. In addition to the two picks in the draft, the Titans signed Xavier Restrepo as a UDFA, who was a highly-touted receiver out of Miami.

Why It Makes Sense For The Browns

There are multiple reasons why this could make sense for Cleveland as they head into the 2025 season. Outside of Jerry Jeudy, the Browns lack depth in their wide receiver corps. Former 2023 third-round pick Cedric Tillman has been fringe second wide receiver, and Berry did not re-sign Elijah Moore this offseason.

With two rookie quarterbacks in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, as well as young quarterback Kenny Pickett, it is crucial that Cleveland surrounds the group with playmakers. Obviously, Burks is a shot-in-the-dark, but head coach Kevin Stefanski could attempt to use him as a "power slot" in order to help him create separation.

Berry is also known to favor former first-round players, as the trade for Pickett was a prime example of this ideology. And with his price tag most likely being a bargin due to his one-year contract, Burks would be worth a look for the Browns.