Cleveland Browns–New York Jets Trade History

On 1976-07-07, Cleveland Browns received Jim Bailey (R.), while New York Jets received 1977 draft pick (undisclosed). The final verdict is Even Trade, with Cleveland Browns graded C and New York Jets graded C. The hindsight view follows the documented consideration and later traceable value without treating every named pick outcome as if it had been directly exchanged on trade day. Any conditional, undisclosed, or unidentified component is credited only to the extent that the surviving evidence establishes it.

Cleveland Browns received Marshall Harris (b) from New York Jets in the 1980-01-28 trade. Cleveland acquired defensive tackle Marshall Harris; the condition attached to his making the Browns roster was satisfied. New York Jets's return was 1981 conditional eighth round pick (if Harris makes Browns roster) (#213-J.C. Watts). New York therefore received Cleveland's 1981 eighth-round pick, No. 213. Those realized outcomes, rather than the labels on the assets alone, drive the hindsight grade.

Cleveland acquired Bobby Jones from the Jets for the 1984 eighth-round pick at No. 217, later used on punter Bret Wright. Jones immediately became a meaningful Browns receiver in 1983, playing 15 games and catching 36 passes for 507 yards and four touchdowns. Wright did not record an NFL regular-season career. Those realized outcomes support Cleveland B, New York D+, and a Cleveland Browns Win.

Cleveland Browns received Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam, Brett Ratliff, 2009 1st round pick (17th overall; subsequently traded by Cleveland), and 2009 2nd round pick (52nd overall, David Veikune) in the 2009-04-25 exchange with New York Jets. Cleveland received three players plus two substantial picks, and the package gave the Browns multiple immediate and future avenues for value. That gives Cleveland Browns the stronger overall return.

Cleveland Browns sent Braylon Edwards to the Jets and received Chansi Stuckey, Jason Trusnik, a conditional 2010 third-round pick that became No. 92 Shawn Lauvao, and a 2010 fifth-round pick that became No. 160 Larry Asante. Lauvao developed into a long-term starting guard, giving Cleveland a substantial return that deserves a B- rather than the much lower value implied by the incomplete package.

Cleveland Browns received 2017 5th round pick (160th overall, Roderick Johnson), 2017 7th round pick (224th overall, Zane Gonzalez) from New York Jets in the 2017-04-29 trade. Cleveland's package became Roderick Johnson and Zane Gonzalez. New York Jets's return was 2017 5th round pick (181st overall, Dylan Donahue), 2017 6th round pick (188th overall, Elijah McGuire). The Jets' return became Dylan Donahue and Elijah McGuire. Those realized outcomes, rather than the labels on the assets alone, drive the hindsight grade.

New York received DeMario Davis; Cleveland received Calvin Pryor. The Jets reacquired DeMario Davis for Calvin Pryor in June 2017. Davis immediately returned to a full-time role in New York, while Cleveland released Pryor before the regular season after a short and unsuccessful stay. The hindsight grades are D for Cleveland Browns and A for New York Jets, producing a New York Jets Win verdict.

Cleveland acquired Elijah Moore and pick No. 74 from the Jets for pick No. 42 in March 2023. Moore gave the Browns two seasons of regular receiving work, and Cleveland used No. 74 on Cedric Tillman, who developed into another useful receiver. The Jets converted No. 42 into later value, but Cleveland's two-player production gives the Browns the stronger realized return.

Cleveland's acquired No. 182 pick later joined Greg Newsome in the package for Tyson Campbell, who started 12 Browns games in 2025 and remained a starter in Week 1 of 2026. New York received 17 games, eight starts and four sacks from Jowon Briggs, then used No. 242 with another pick to move up for Anez Cooper. The Jets' direct production creates a narrow B- to C+ win.