The Dallas Cowboys entered Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with very good vibes. Not only were the Bucs 0-4 and without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, but their offense had been firing on all cylinders, scoring 30 or more points in each of their last three games. CeeDee Lamb, in particular, was coming off one of the best games of his career, as he caught 17 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.
Unfortunately, those good vibes vanished in a heartbeat, as the Cowboys lost what felt like a must-win game against the lowly Bucs and lost CeeDee Lamb due to a quad injury. Now, the injury doesn't appear to be overly serious, which is good, but it was serious enough to limit the star wideout to two receptions for nine yards overall, and to knock him out of the game prematurely. Given that they're 2-3 and their defense has been as bad as it is, the Cowboys must bolster their wide receiver room if Lamb has to miss any time. Leaning on their dynamic offense is how the Cowboys can win games. This mock trade with the Cleveland Browns would accomplish that goal.
This Cowboys-Browns trade would give Dallas much-needed CeeDee Lamb insurance
The Cowboys shouldn't be looking to trade a high-end asset for a high-end receiver, knowing that Lamb's injury isn't expected to keep him out long-term, but trading a day three pick for a stopgap at the receiver position could make some sense.
This mock proposal has the Cowboys doing just that, with a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NFL Draft heading to the Browns in exchange for Jerry Jeudy, a player featured on FanSided's updated trade deadline big board. While this is a deal both teams' fan bases would likely scoff at, here's why it makes sense for both sides.
Why the Cowboys would make this trade
If Lamb has to miss any time or is limited in any capacity, the Cowboys could be in some serious trouble. Dallas' defense is nothing short of disastrous right now, which puts a ton of pressure on their offense to be perfect every week, or close to it. If Lamb misses time, the Cowboys have George Pickens to lean on, but who's their No. 2 receiver? Ryan Flournoy?
The Cowboys could use an upgrade, and that's where Jeudy comes into play. It's been a down year for Jeudy, but let's not act like the situation with Deshaun Watson and the Browns is designed to get the most out of him. A move to Dallas with Dak Prescott throwing passes his way could revive his season.
Even if Lamb doesn't need to miss time, adding Jeudy to their wide receiver room would give Dallas needed depth and make covering Lamb and Pickens much tougher. It's easy to forget, given how this season has gone for him, but Jeudy was a 1,200-yard receiver just a couple of years ago. Giving up only a fifth-rounder in a move that should help Dallas win now feels like a win for a team that's already pushed its chips in to an extent to win right now.
Why the Browns would make this trade
For Cleveland, this is all about getting something for a player who isn't doing much of anything for them. Jeudy is coming off his best game of the season in Week 4, and all he did was record three receptions for 36 yards. Jeudy has totaled five receptions on eight targets for 62 yards this season, placing him sixth on the Browns in all three of those categories. He's just 52 percent of the Browns' offensive snaps, a career-low by far. There's a reason ESPN's Adam Schefter said he "could be had" at the deadline.
After two trades last week, here are more names to monitor ahead of next month’s #NFL trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/i9XdEC0oPQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 4, 2026
It's abundantly clear that rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have leapfrogged Jeudy on the Browns' depth chart, making him their WR3 at best. The WR3 in Cleveland isn't going to be doing much, to be completely frank. Knowing that, why not trade him for something they can use, rather than letting him continue to be an afterthought in the Browns' offense?
It's not like fifth-round picks are completely useless, either. In fact, Hezekiah Masses, a player selected in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, is tied for the NFL lead with three interceptions right now. Hidden gems can be found in the later rounds, and given how well GM Andrew Berry has drafted in recent years, why not give him more ammo?
Trading a proven veteran like Jeudy isn't ideal when your team is 3-1 like the Browns are, but getting an asset for an overlooked veteran whose contract isn't even guaranteed for 2027 might make too much sense for the Browns to turn down.
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