Report: Denver Broncos trading Jerry Jeudy to Cleveland Browns for draft picks

The Cleveland Browns just made a major trade ahead of NFL free agency to acquire an offensive weapon for Deshaun Watson.

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Browns have dealt away two draft picks to the Denver Broncos in exchange for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Here was his report of the trade, which was posted on Twitter:

“Trade: Broncos and Browns agreed to a deal today that will send WR Jerry Jeudy to Cleveland in exchange for two draft picks, sources tell ESPN. Cleveland made a run at Jeudy at last season’s trade deadline. Now the Browns finally will get him once trade is processed this week.”

Fellow NFL insider Tom Pelissero chimed in on Twitter to add that the draft picks being sent to Denver are in the 5th and 6th rounds. So Cleveland grabs another playmaker for pretty cheap while the Broncos continue their total overhaul.

Denver actually tried to shop him around last season and was hoping for a second-round pick as a return but ultimately found no biters. This time around, despite a strong year from Jerry Jeudy on the field, his trade stock took a hit thanks to his contract situation.

Last offseason, Jeudy offered another year for cheap on his rookie deal plus the fifth-year option for the following season if the team wanted to take it. But this time around, Jeudy has now played out the remainder of his rookie deal and Denver has picked up the fifth-year option for just over 12 million stone-cold guaranteed dollars.

He’s roughly three times more expensive with only one year under team control vs. two if he was dealt last year, and that equals a sharp decline in trade value. So, fifth and sixth rounders it is for Denver.

Jeudy experienced an up-and-down four-year career in Denver after he was a first-round pick there out of Alabama. Jeudy went for 750 yards as a rookie receiver in 2020 and then notched a career-high 972 in his second season. Year No. 3 was somewhat marred by injury but he came back with 856 yards in year four this past fall.

Perhaps not a true WR1 or a playmaker worthy of a former first-round selection, but Jeudy’s proved to be a solid and productive receiver. Alongside Amari Cooper, the Browns now boast a wide receiver duo that rivals that of divisional foes Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.