OBR Insider Lane Adkins contributed to this report...
The Cleveland Browns have caught onlookers by surprise with trades in subsequent days. What theOBR has learned about the move and several other notes as the team prepares to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Browns first made the surprise trade with the Cincinnati Bengals, sending veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to their instate rivals. The teams also swapped picks. Even more surprising, the Bengals announced that Flacco would start against the Green Bay Packers before he'd even taken the field.
While that move was shocking, from the perspective of the Browns, it merely confirmed the direction they are already heading. The Browns had started rookie Dillon Gabriel the previous week and he fared well in his first start. The team also has fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders as well as Bailey Zappe on the practice squad. The team had declared a course. Losing Flacco wasn't groundbreaking.
This latest trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars not only involved starters, but took place on Wednesday evening, an unusual time to make a swap. The Browns sent Greg Newsome II to Jacksonville in exchange for Tyson Campbell. The deal also included a pick swap, this time with the Browns moving down a round.
Why did the teams make this trade? Why now? The latest theOBR has learned about this move as well as some other notes as the team prepares to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers.