3 Players Not Named Odell Beckham Jr. the Browns Should Consider Trading for Draft Capital

The Cleveland Browns are not strapped for cash in any sense. The team has around $40 million in cap space heading into this week's NFL Draft. However, big raises are coming in the next few years for guys like Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield.

This means the Browns may want to move on from certain players in order to acquire more draft capital and thus younger, cheaper talent. Three guys in particular stand out as potential trade targets.

3. Olivier Vernon

Cleveland Browns DE Olivier Vernon is an obvious trade candidate. / Al Pereira/Getty Images

The Browns should be calling every team around the NFL regarding an Olivier Vernon trade. The defensive end is set to earn over $15 million in 2020, but has a dead cap value of $0. That makes him a candidate to be cut, so the team should try to get anything if the plan is just to move on at no cost. Vernon only had 3.5 sacks in 10 games for the Browns, and any added draft pick would be a nice return for Cleveland.

2. Sheldon Richardson

Cleveland Browns DT Sheldon Richardson joined the team under a previous GM. / Jason Miller/Getty Images

Sheldon Richardson had a solid season for the Browns in 2019. He had three sacks and 62 total tackles in 16 games and was signed to a three-year, $37 million deal under previous Browns GM John Dorsey. The new regime may want to move on from Richardson and his $13.66 million cap hit in 2020. He has seemingly turned his life around after some off-the-field issues in the past and another team would get a veteran who is under contract through 2021. In return the Browns could use draft picks to get younger at the position.

1. David Njoku

The Cleveland Browns could look to trade David Njoku after a tough 2019 season. / Jason Miller/Getty Images

David Njoku is in a weird position. He's entering his fourth season and a decision must be made on his fifth-year option. The young tight end is coming off a year in which he did not get along with former head coach Freddie Kitchens and was relegated to the sidelines for much of the season. But he's still an athletic 6-foot-4 tight end that teams would certainly consider making a deal for. The Browns signed Austin Hooper this offseason, pretty much signaling the end of the road for Njoku.