NFL trade deadline: 5 trades that should have been made to rock the league

Harrison Smith heads to “the Land” 

As tempting as it would be to put Sam Darnold on this list, the 49ers likely have more problems than just the one under center. Cleveland needed to find stability on defense if they wanted to remain in the race for the No.7 Wild Card spot, especially deep in the secondary. Smith would have been the perfect option to rock on in Joe Woods’ defense.

Smith’s rangy ability allows him to cover all over the field. He’s also a willing tackler that hardly misses his target in coverage or against the run. As one of the lone bright spots of the Vikings’ defense, the 31-year-old currently has recorded 33 tackles, three pass deflections and one interception.

Sitting at 5-3, the Browns are actually nearing contender status. Ronnie Harrison is serviceable, but the team has to realize former Viking Andrew Sendejo is a liability. Without Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns needed to rely more on their defense. Smith’s presence wouldn’t have fixed the offensive woes, but it certainly would have helped cover them.