The Cleveland Browns today traded defensive tackle Jowon Briggs and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the New York Jets for their 2026 sixth-round pick.
My initial reaction was to howl with rage at the notion of Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry dealing off a successful seventh-round pick in 2024 for yet more draft assets. I often howl with rage, because there's frequent cause to do so, and the dog enjoys it.
Then, against all odds, my brain started working. The first thing I realized was that dealing off a Buffalo seventh-round pick (likely late in the round) for a Jets sixth-round pick (likely high in the round) is like jumping nearly two rounds in the draft. Then I realized there was less reason to wade through the entire draft next year to see what the Browns do, and part of me celebrated.
Still, Briggs is an interesting player. Highly recruited out of high school, Briggs had a relatively successful college career at the University of Virginia and the University of Cincinnati. Briggs acquitted himself pretty well, getting action in six games, and finishing with thirteen tackles (including one for a loss) and a forced fumble. Briggs wound up with 133 snaps for the season.
He finished the year with a 72.2 grade from PFF, registering a 60+ grade in both pass and rush defense. By all standards, it was a promising start for a last-round selection.
The deal is beneficial for the player, who will have many more opportunities to play in New York, which currently lacks an impressive defensive interior, than he would have had in a deep rotation in Cleveland.
Jowon Briggs and Dalvin Tomlinson
What the deal is indicating to me is how good the interior depth is perceived to be for the Browns. Drafting Mason Graham with the fifth pick immediately knocked the rest of the depth chart down a peg, and Michael Hall looks to be close to returning. In addition, Adin Huntington (a Pete Smith advocacy project) is doing so well that they named the new dome after him. Sam Kamara has looked good as well. Shelby Harris is probably breathing a little easier with one less guy who wants his job.
Therefore, after several hard minutes of thinking about the deal, I've decided not to hurl invectives at Andrew Berry, which is a relief to everyone, I think.
This trade has been APPROVED by the local bloviator. Carry on.
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_Barry McBride is the publisher of the Orange and Brown Report and [a known bloviator](https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/institution/cleveland-browns-daily-newswire-29013/). He has tired of restricting his bloviations to the early AM hours, and now demands the right to bloviate at any time of the day or night._