Analyzing the 2023 trade deadline moves: Washington defensive ends going different ways at the deadline

Donovan Peoples-Jones traded from the Browns to the Lions

Detroit brings in a field-stretching wide receiver

Lions receive: Donovan Peoples-Jones

Browns receive: 2025 sixth-round draft pick

So while I would’ve liked general manager Brad Holmes and company to be a little more aggressive with trying to add another difference-making pass-catcher and/or edge rusher, this is very much in line with how they’ve handled their business.

They’re not afraid to target what are deemed lesser-valued positions for modern standards in terms of the draft and then in terms of veterans, they rely on free agency and few trades they do make to acquire players, they typically are low-risk.

Detroit has been doing this at the wide receiver position, where along with trading way up from the back of the first round of the 2022 draft to the 12th overall pick for Alabama’s Jameson Williams, they used a conditional late-round pick swap in 2015 for Denzel Mims from the Jets, who appeared like a mishandled talent, who they still be able to squeeze something out of.

However, he was waived a couple of weeks prior to the season kickoff with an injury. Williams unfortunately has not paid off at all yet. And let’s be fair here – he was coming off a torn ACL until playing sparingly over the last six weeks of last season and he missed the first month this year due to a suspension for gambling.

So he needs time to re-gain confidence and acclimate himself into the offseason, but outside of a 41- and 45-yard touchdown in each year so far, he has just five catches for 26 yards on just under 200 total snaps. So adding another long, field-stretching receiver like Peoples-Jones, who totaled well over 1400 yards over the two prior seasons, makes sense generally.

As good as Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie tight-end Sam LaPorta have been, they lack that element on the perimeter with consistency – even if DPJ is having the worst season of his career so far – but that’s why they’re getting him at this discount. Goff is already just one behind Matthew Stafford for the league-lead in completions of 20+ yards (35).

For Cleveland, I just mentioned the regression we’ve seen by the fourth-year receiver. DPJ currently is on pace for career-worst numbers in yards per target (5.4), yards after catch on average (2.8) and passer rating when targeted (38.4).

His ability to win down the field in isolated situations and create explosives on run-after-catch plays, such as him catching a crossing route, has defined his early career. With the Browns transitioning to more of a spread-out approach offensively, where they don’t take as many shots off play-action, that skill-set doesn’t really fit as much within the offense, never mind the sub-par quarterback play for the team as a whole.

So this is a bit of a misfit toy in general and you like how he projects with Detroit a lot better. Along with that, Cleveland has quietly put together one of the deeper receiving corps in the league and this allows them to get more of those young guys out there.

DPJ actually led the Browns in snap share, as they have three guys playing 78% of snaps or more currently. Marquise Goodwin, David Bell and Cedric Tillman all sit between an eight and 15% share. While Goodwin offers that speed component in a smaller frame, Tillman is the one I’m really interested in seeing more of.

Considering the construction of the roster, seeing the Browns use their first draft pick in April (74th) on him was certainly surprisingly, but it felt more like taking the best player available and them being intrigued with the idea of a more prototypical big outside receiver.

He had some really nice moments in preseason and I think would add a more physical presence as a larger part of their rotation, being able to win over the middle or using his body at the catch-point. So with Peoples-Jones not being a great fit and therefore part of their future, at least getting something back before you get a couple of other guys more involved, makes some sense.