Browns Make Shocking Release on Trade Deadline Day

The NFL trade deadline is here and the Cleveland Browns didn't waste any time making moves. The Browns started the day by trading standout defender Za'Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions and more deals could unfold as the 4 p.m. ET deadline approaches.

While trades have taken over the NFL news cycle, other transactions have gone down on Tuesday. Teams are also cutting the excess fat off their rosters to rid themselves of veterans who no longer have a spot on the team.

The Browns are just the latest franchise to follow that trend.

Browns News: Cleveland Releases DT Quinton Jefferson

The Browns have officially released defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. The former 2016 fifth-rounder signed a one-year contract with Cleveland during the offseason, however, a jam-packed DT room proved to be too much for him to overcome.

After starting in all 14 of his games with the New York Jets in 2023, Jefferson has only made five backup appearances with the Browns this season. He's played 44% of defensive snaps thus far, however, the fact that he was a healthy scratch in each of the team's last four games suggests that the writing was on the wall for a while.

In his limited time with the Browns, Jefferson tallied six total tackles (5 assisted, 1 solo) and a sack. He also played to 54.9 pass rush and 50.7 overall defense grades, according to Pro Football Focus, both of which are noticeably worse than last year's marks of 73.2 and 52.8, respectively.

At the end of the day, Jefferson's release could be mutually beneficial. A change in scenery might be exactly what the 31-year-old veteran needs to get back on track while the Browns can use his roster spot on someone who better fits head coach Kevin Stefanski's vision.

The Browns have a lot of work to do if they want to become a respectable franchise once again. Jefferson's release is just one of many ongoing moves that it'll take to reach that point.