For what seems like the first time, the NFL trade deadline provided steady, eye-opening drama from beginning to end. Blockbuster trades and hilarious mishaps defined the 2017 version of football’s trade season, and it didn’t take long for winners and losers to emerge from the aftermath.
Plenty of teams and players were assisted by their teams upgrading their rosters, but the two guys most helped by their franchises being aggressive at the deadline were quarterbacks. Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson may no longer have to run for his life anymore (or as much as he has been, at least), as his team added sturdy left tackle Duane Brown to shore up his blindside. Wilson has been forced to use his Houdini-like moves to slip away from danger all season, but the addition of Brown will help anchor a youthful offensive line as the Seahawks compete for an NFC crown.
Buffalo Bills QB Tyrod Taylor also received a brand new toy to play with in wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin gives Taylor a deep threat on 50-50 balls and will be a handy target in the red zone as the Bills look to take the next big leap offensively with Taylor under center. Benjamin’s absence in Carolina also frees up more targets for wide receiver Devin Funchess and do-everything player Christian McAffrey, two players who also won big at the deadline in terms of increased snaps and potential productivity.
But the biggest story of the trade deadline may have been a loser, even the biggest loser of them all. The Cleveland Browns have a history of being a laughingstock, and this exciting trade deadline was no different. The Browns, after passing on Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson in previous drafts, attempted to replace rookie quarterback Deshone Kizer with Bengals backup AJ McCarron. But the hapless franchise was unable to even complete the trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, despite the Bengals and Browns both agreeing to it. The Browns simply failed to cut through the red tape required to finish off the deal, and the NFL vetoed the trade after Cleveland attempted to complete it moments after the deadline passed.
So now the Browns are stuck with Kizer, who’s been benched already with a 3-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and have added salt in the wound as Kizer now knows he was actively being replaced. That is until the Browns did what the Browns do and fell on their face once again.
Of all the possible losers in a trade deadline that had the entire sports world abuzz, Cleveland once again stands as the biggest of them all.
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