Only the Browns would consider keeping an aging trade asset a true victory

Most 2-6 teams without an obvious quarterback to build around would be active in trade talks to acquire draft capital ahead of this year's NFL Trade Deadline. Not the Cleveland Browns. General Manager Andrew Berry seems inexplicably hesitant to offload veteran edge-rusher Za'Darius Smith in the coming days.

That decision amounts to front office malpractice for a Browns team that needs to usher in a total rebuild. Smith is a 32-year-old edge rusher with a reasonable contract. He is just the sort of player who Super Bowl contenders are coveting to bolster their chances of winning a title. The reality that it isn't a 'given' that Smith will move ahead of the deadline should disappoint Browns fans who are concerned about the team's long-term future.

Why wouldn't the Browns trade Za'Darius Smith at the deadline?

In fairness to Berry and his staff, Smith isn't going to command a king's ransom on the trade market. The Browns would do well to secure a mid-round draft pick for his services. A team like the Lions might be willing to offer a conditional pick to get a trade done. They need a substitute for injured edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and that's a role Smith could fill perfectly.

Browns fans should hope that the reports that claim Smith might not move ahead of the deadline are just smokescreens leaked by Cleveland's front office to spark a bidding war. That theory might hold more weight if this front office had not handed Deshaun Watson a fully-guaranteed deal that currently weighs the team's cap sheet down like a millstone.

In the end, the decision on whether or not to deal Smith isn't going to drastically alter the course of the Browns' franchise. It's more of a symptom of the team's dysfunction rather than a cause. It is still a silly choice for a team that needs to start rebuilding with young players. Any chance to offload a veteran in the coming week should be seized upon by Cleveland.