The NFL trade deadline is still a week away, which means the deluge of trade rumors and speculation is only going to get worse before it finally ends. For Cleveland Browns fans, it means being in the discussion with any offensive tackle with a pulse and a current NFL contract who might possibly get dealt before the Oct. 29th deadline.
Two such rumors sprouted in the last day. Remember, they are nothing but rumors.
First came a speculative report from Jason LaCanfora of CBS connecting the Browns to the New York Giants and Nate Solder. Later, Charles Robinson of Yahoo brought up the Browns in conjunction with Hal Vaitai from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Robinson was not reporting any direct trade talks. He simply noted the situations do seem to align well, with Vaitai possessing starting experience and an expiring contract with no viable path to more playing time in Philadelphia.
Our take
Solder is a hard pass. He’s an older, more expensive and slightly lesser player than incumbent left tackle Greg Robinson. No thanks.
Vaitai is interesting because he could sign long-term and provide a lasting solution. He wasn’t bad during his starting stint for the Eagles. But there is no guarantee he would stick in Cleveland, and giving up anything for a half-season rental that might not make much of an impact is bad business.
