4 (realistic?) trade targets for Broncos ahead of NFL’s deadline

Will the Broncos trade for a tight end ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline? Here are four players the team could consider.

With the NFL trade deadline (Nov. 5) now one week away, we are once again revisiting the topic of potential trade candidates for the Denver Broncos.

Last week, we listed five high-profile tight ends, five star wide receivers and a trio of New Orleans Saints players who the Broncos could target before the trade deadline. While exciting candidates, those 13 players might not necessarily be realistic targets.

Today, we’re taking a quick look at four players who could be more realistic candidates for Denver to bring in before the deadline.

Broncos realistic (?) trade targets

1. TE Jordan Akins: The Browns probably don’t want to trade David Njoku, but Adkins could be an expendable tight end. He has 16 receptions for 140 yards and one score this year, better totals than all of Denver’s tight ends.

2. TE Connor Heyward: The Steelers seem unlikely to part with Pat Freiermuth, but Heyward has seen his role decline a bit this year despite being productive in the past.

3. TE Austin Hooper: Sensing a trend? The Patriots are happy with Hunter Henry, but perhaps they would be willing to part with Hooper. His career averages out to 50 receptions for 501 yards and 3 touches per season.

4. WR Jonathan Mingo: Diontae Johnson would likely have a big price tag, but Mingo could be a more realistic target. The former second-round pick is underutilized in a woeful Panthers offense.

As the NFL’s trade deadline approaches, will track any potential moves for Denver on Broncos Wire.

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Too little too late: Browns score first touchdown late to cut lead to 21

The most demoralizing touchdown ever

After being unable to find the end zone through the first three quarters, the Cleveland Browns finally scored to cut the lead to 34-13. Quarterback Deshaun Watson connected with tight end Jordan Akins for a 10-yard completion on a 4th-and-seven attempt for their first touchdown of the day.

This game was over quickly, with the Commanders taking a 31-6 lead in the third quarter, but Cleveland managed a garbage-time score to find some sort of positive. Running back Jerome Ford rushed for 25 yards on the drive, including a 16-yard run for his longest of the day.

Watson completed all three passes on the drive for 22 yards, with the two biggest plays going to Akins. The Browns would have had their first third-down conversion of the game, but the Commanders committed a pre-snap penalty, giving them the needed yardage. Overall, poor offensive execution on first and second downs put Cleveland in tough third-down situations that were too difficult to overcome.

Nothing adds up about Deshaun Watson’s answer to the failed 4th and 1 attempt

Make it make sense.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson spoke to the media on Wednesday and was asked about the failed 4th and 1 attempt in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants.

On the play, a slant-flat RPO, Watson is looking at wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on the slant. However, a third-level defender clicked down on the route in addition to the cornerback in coverage. Tight end Jordan Akins, however, appears to be wide open as the linebacker in coverage gets picked by the slant.

Instead of throwing the flat to Akins, however, Watson opted to tuck the football and run. He did not pick up the first down in a crucial spot in the ballgame.

When explaining why he did not throw the football to Akins, Watson went as far to say that Akins was not even part of the progression and was a decoy on the slant-flat RPO:

“Because other people are not in the film room, so not everyone knows exactly what the read was. That was a decoy, so, that’s the difference. Everyone can pause a tape and say, ‘Hey, he should have thrown it here, he should have thrown it here.’ Every quarterback deals with that. So if you choose one play and that’s the play out of the whole game that everyone is calling, then so be it. It is what it is. No one’s in those film rooms, no one is making those decisions.”

Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was then asked about whether or not Akins was a decoy. Dorsey remained mum, but his difference altered drastically from what Watson said to the media the day before:

“I don’t wanna get into decisions on reads and how were supposed to do things but it all comes down to execution. Deshaun has to trust his reads and trust his progressions.”

That was not a no. And it was a question that would have been very easy to align with Watson on if that were the case. Akins gave a similar answer to the media as well. There are seemingly two schools of thought. Akins and Dorsey are in sync on one thought process, while Watson is on an island, calling Akins a decoy on the play.

One-read progressions are not a thing in the NFL. The options could not have been to throw the slant or run. There is always a second progression to a play-side read. And on a slant-flat, that second progression is a relatively easy one.

None of this adds up.

Do the Browns have their TE3 on the roster right now?

The Browns are transitioning away from heavy sets and into 11 personnel looks, but they still need a body in the tight end room. Is that player currently on the roster?

The Cleveland Browns suffered numerous injuries in their latest preseason game when they hosted the Minnesota Vikings. Among these injuries was the standout fullback and tight end, Giovanni Ricci, who suffered a knee injury. This leaves the Browns questioning how long Ricci will be out and who will backup David Njoku as we approach Week 1 of the regular season.

One of the players who will find more playing time opportunities is second-year tight end Jordan Akins. The former Houston Texan teammate of Deshaun Watson is now in the second and last year of his $3.9 million contract and provided meaningful playing time last season with 15 catches and 132 yards. Another highly touted candidate to step up in Ricci’s spot is promising young tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden.

The former Florida Atlantic Owl did not provide any regular season stats in his rookie season but has shown exciting potential in his first two preseason showings. On Saturday’s showing against the Vikings, he caught all four of his targets for 59 yards. This led the team in both receptions and yards.

The Browns still await the official word on the extent of Ricci’s injury but hope to have him back sooner rather than later. As for the tight end, Njoku will still need someone to help take some of the reps this season.

Lonnie Johnson Jr. says goodbye to Saints fans in returning to Houston

Lonnie Johnson Jr. says goodbye to New Orleans Saints fans and teammates in returning to the Houston Texans:

This is a surprise loss: Lonnie Johnson Jr. said his goodbyes to New Orleans Saints fans and his teammates on social media Monday, at the start of the NFL legal tampering window. Johnson is going back to the team that drafted him in a deal with the Houston Texans.

Johnson was well-regarded by the Saints coaching staff, who played him last year as the primary backup to Marcus Maye. When New Orleans chose to let the veteran free safety go, Johnson appeared to be a natural choice to compete with second-year pro Jordan Howden as Maye’s replacement. Johnson was limited by a lingering hamstring injury last season but played well when healthy.

Good luck to him. Johnson pointed to the success his old Texans teammates Jordan Akins and Desmond King found in reunions with Houston as reasons for his own return. He’s eager to carve out a niche in DeMeco Ryans’ defense and prove himself. We’ll see how the Saints react.

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PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ offensive players vs. Colts

The offense found a way yet again

Quarterback Deshaun Watson returned to the field for the Cleveland Browns but not for long after a big hit in the first quarter the quarterback would not return. P.J. Walker took over again and though it wasn’t great all the time he was able to be good enough with the running game playing better as well.

In the end, the offense was able to put up over 30 points with some assists from the defense. Rookie Dawand Jones continues to impress and looks like a massive steal for general manager Andrew Berry. Overall the offensive line has shown serious improvements over the last two weeks.

Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. has stacked a couple of nice games after a rough start to the season. The wide receivers and tight ends continue to get open and make plays if the team could just get solid quarterback play.

Here are the top 10 performances on offense according to PFF in the win over the Colts.

Browns announce injury updates on the heels of Pro Football Hall of Fame Game

The Browns have provided an injury update on the heels of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

The Cleveland Browns will suit up for the first time in 2023 as they get set to partake in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the New York Jets. With that game just one day out, the team has provided an injury update on several players on the roster.

Here are those updates provided as we get set for our first live action of the 2023 season.

WATCH: Jordan Akins goes above the rim for absurd snag

The chemistry between Deshaun Watson and Jordan Akins has carried over from Houston to the Browns

One of the more underrated additions for the Cleveland Browns this offseason was former Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins. He has a history with his quarterback Deshaun Watson having played together in Houston. Akins is an underrated athlete with the size and strength to make the tough contested catches, especially in the red zone.

With training camp well under way it is clear that the connection between Akins and Watson is still there. During Thursday’s practice he made an impressive reception going up and over the defensive back to snag a pass from Watson. If this is a preview of what we will see during the season then the passing offense could be impressive.

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Browns: David Njoku lands in the top 10 in Madden 24 tight end rankings

The Browns’ TE1 finds himself as the ninth ranked at his position in this year’s game

With Madden 24 set to release next month, EA Sports continues to release the player ratings position-by-position. With the tight end rankings dropping today, the Cleveland Browns have one player ranked in the top ten in David Njoku who ranks ninth at an 84 overall.

Even though he is ranked in the top ten he is the third highest rated tight end in the AFC North behind the Raven’s Mark Andrews at three, with a 95 overall, and the Steeler’s Pat Freiermuth and eight with an 85 overall. Let’s look at how the Browns’ tight end group ranks out in the game.

Note: UDFA’s haven’t been added so some of the Browns training camp players are not rated.

Who could be the first Browns player to wear the number 0?

Who will be the first Browns player to sport the number 0?

The NFL owners voted to allow players to be able to wear the number 0 on the playing field, beginning this season. So now the question has to be asked: which player for the Cleveland Browns will look the best wearing the new digit? New additions to the roster, like wide receiver Elijah Moore, have the obvious advantage, as they do not have to buy out their remaining jerseys the way that current players do.

However, there are current players on the roster for the Browns that would look phenomenal wearing the number 0 in the brown and orange. Here are four players that would look phenomenal sporting the newly allowed number for the Browns.