NFL Rumors: Browns could cut former third-round pick

There are several reasons as to why the AFC North is considered the NFL's strongest top-to-bottom division coming into the 2023 season, not the least of which is the leap the Cleveland Browns could make. Deshaun Watson is set for his first full season with the Browns after they traded for him but saw the quarterback serve a suspension for roughly two-thirds of the season.

But there's a chance he won't be throwing to a former Browns third-round pick once cut day passes with the way things are shaking out.

Eric Edholm of NFL.com broke down a number of potential surprise trade or cut candidates from around the league with the preseason coming to a close this weekend. For the Browns, he listed former third-round wide receiver Anthony Schwartz as a cut candidate to watch.

"The former third-round pick doesn't turn 23 until Week 1, and some might argue that it's too soon to give up on him," Edholm wrote. "But Schwartz just hasn't been able to stack impressive performances in camp or the preseason -- and now he's dealing with a hamstring injury."

With the emergence of Austin Watkins Jr. this preseason and the more notable progress of 2022 third-rounder David Bell, Schwartz could find himself on the chopping block. For all of his speed, his ability to effectively lose defensive backs at the pro level remains in question. The Browns bet on the tools, but it hasn't paid any winnings -- and if Edholm's premonition comes to light, they might not ever do so in Cleveland.

NFL Rumors: Colts rejected Dolphins' Jonathan Taylor trade offer

If the Miami Dolphins are trying to keep their interest in trading for disgruntled Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor under wraps, they're doing a truly terrible job of that.

Miami has poked around the running back market all offseason, most notably being all-in on a pursuit of Dalvin Cook following his release from the Minnesota Vikings. With a series of ill-fated pursuits behind them, however, their sights are now squarely set on trading for Taylor, who has requested a trade from the Colts and was subsequently granted permission to seek one.

Unfortunately, the Colts aren't entirely willing to play ball with them just yet.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported on Friday that the Dolphins made a formal offer for Taylor to Indianapolis, but they were turned down by the Colts. Perhaps just as notable from Jackson's report is that no team who has inquired or made a trade offer for Taylor to this point has "come close" to the Colts' asking price of a first-round pick or a package of draft capital of equal value.

Eventually, the belief should be that Indy will have to move off of that price tag. Taylor isn't just an elite running back who's going to fetch a Christian McCaffrey (or better) type of trade package. He's an elite back in the final year of his cheap rookie contract who is looking for a top-of-market extension from any team he'd be traded to. That's not going to net a first-round pick in a return package.

Whether it's the Dolphins or one of the other interested teams, though, you can bet that Miami will continue to burn up the phone lines trying to upgrade their backfield yet again.

NFL Rumors: Lions whiffed on oppportunity for Trey Lance trade

Despite 49ers general manager John Lynch all but explicitly saying that they weren't going to trade quarterback Trey Lance, the 49ers traded Trey Lance on Friday. And to the shock of just about everyone, they shipped him to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick.

The ultimate landing spot for Lance was a stunner, but the Cowboys emerged from what can only be described as a confusing market for the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Cowboys were joined by the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions in expressing interest in the quarterback.

As was the case with the Cowboys eventually trading for him, the other three teams in contention were also looking for a backup to put on the depth chart behind an entrenched and highly paid starter. But when you look at the Lions, it's hard not to look at them as the franchise that missed the biggest opportunity.

Unlike Dak Prescott in Dallas, Josh Allen in Buffalo, and Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, the Lions have Jared Goff as their QB1 on the depth chart. Though the team has taken a step forward under the former No. 1 overall pick, the truth of the matter is that they could stand to upgrade at any point to a higher-upside option.

There's no guarantee that Lance would be that, hence why the 49ers traded him in the first place. At the same time, though, for a mid-to-late-round pick, it would've been a worthwhile gamble to see if they could mine his potential and groom an eventual successor to Goff.

Obviously, they missed that opportunity. But it's going to be interesting to play the "what if" game if Lance does amount to anything after a change of scenery.