Cleveland Browns nearly traded for former second-round wide receiver at the deadline

The Cleveland Browns stood pat on trade deadline day, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Browns had an offer on the table for now-former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and the Browns were about to complete a trade for him in exchange for a late-round pick.

However, when the Colts swooped in and completed a trade with the New York Jets for Sauce Gardner that included Mitchell, the Browns' hopes of landing the former second-round pick went out the window.

"Former Colts second-rounder Adonai Mitchell was another player who received real interest," Rapoport reported. "In fact, had he not gone to the Jets as part of the Gardner deal, the Browns planned to complete a trade for Mitchell, sending a late-round pick to Indianapolis."

There were rumblings ahead of the trade deadline that the Browns might look to buy as well as sell. Clearly those rumblings were true.

Mitchell's claim to fame in the NFL isn't a good one. As Rapoport points out, he dropped the ball before the goal line on what would have been a touchdown in Week 4, which led to a trip to the dog house that saw him get benched.

That was likely the final straw for Mitchell's time in Indianapolis.

For a late-round pick, it would have been worth taking a flyer on Mitchell, who has been a disappointment through a season-plus but has also been stuck in a crowded wide receivers room in Indianapolis.

Truth be told, the Jets are probably a better situation for Mitchell, as Justin Fields is a better quarterback than Dillon Gabriel and New York's wide receivers room is thinner than Cleveland's, also, now that Cedric Tillman is back.

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