Report: 'Door Remains Open' on Broncos Trading Jerry Jeudy to Browns

A new rumor has the Denver Broncos keeping lines of communication open with the Cleveland Browns.

When it comes to Denver Broncos GM George Paton, where there's smoke, there's usually fire. That's not an absolute, but rumors of the Broncos potentially dealing Von Miller for months came to fruition on Paton's watch, and the same can be said for Bradley Chubb.

The incessant trade rumors surrounding the Broncos' top two wideouts — Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton — still have not abated nearly a week into the new league year. The smoke has mostly centered around Jeudy, and with every new report whispering on the subject, a full-blown fire becomes inexorable. 

The New England Patriots' interest in Jeudy has been widely publicized, and now there are rumors that the Cleveland Browns could be in play for the former Alabama star, even though the team lacks a first-round pick to offer in exchange. 

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, a long-time, reputable NFL insider, addressed the unreliable nature of rumors, but wrote an entire article on Tuesday claiming the Browns are keeping the door open to a Jeudy trade. 

One source told cleveland.com the chatter surrounding the Browns and Jeudy seems to be mostly smoke, but another said the door remains open for the Browns to try to acquire him.

Kabot went on to write: 

But Benjamin Allbright of Denver’s KOA-FM reports that the Broncos would listen to an offer for a second-round pick and a player, which the Browns could possibly pull off. The Broncos supposedly at least pondered an offer for a second- and fourth-rounder, possibly from the Patriots.

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In the wake of the Deshaun Watson trade, similarly to the Broncos, Cleveland lacks a first-round pick this year. However, highly intriguing to the Broncos is the second-round pick Cleveland currently holds (No. 42 overall). That second-rounder, paired with, say, a starting-caliber player could grease the wheels for the Broncos to accept a deal for Jeudy. 

Some speculate that the Browns could offer cornerback Greg Newsome II — a former first-round pick — along with that second-rounder in exchange for Jeudy. The belief around the league is that new Broncos head coach Sean Payton has a specific vision for his wide receiver corps.

Perhaps in an effort to ignite the running game and thus boost Russell Wilson out of his 2022 slump, Payton could be prioritizing wideouts with a propensity for blocking. Obviously, that's not Jeudy's strong suit, but neither is it Sutton's. 

On the surface, Sutton has the size to be a good blocking receiver, but his heart hasn't been in it for a while. Surely Payton has recognized that on tape. 

We could speculate and theorize 'til the cows come home, but the bottom line is these wide receiver trade rumors continue to hang over Denver's head like a raincloud. Don't be shocked if the Broncos end up pulling the trigger on a Jeudy trade, bolstering the roster with a new starting-caliber player and landing a top-50 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. 

As it stands, the Broncos are without a first or second-rounder and won't go on the clock until pick No. 67, which is in Round 3. 9NEWS' Mike Klis threw cold water on the Jeudy/Sutton trade rumors last week, but it wasn't enough to douse them. 

Jeudy finished last season as Denver's leading receiver with 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns. A good chunk of that production came in the final quarter of the season, including a three-touchdown game. 

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