Ahead of the annual NFL meeting, the Cleveland Browns have suggested a major change to the draft pick trade.

The franchise is proposing a rule change that would allow teams to trade players five years into the future. At present, the rule allows for only three years. 

Aside from the Browns, the Green Bay Packers are the only franchise to have proposed. While the Browns need approval from 24 of 32 teams to set the change in motion, fans have shared their opinions. 

NFL insider Tom Pelissero made an X post about the proposal, and fans did not hold back their rage. 

“Here’s the full language of the Browns’ proposal to allow teams to trade draft picks up to five years in the future, rather than the current three, in part to 'create more creative trade structures that better mirror the valuations of both draft selections and players,” Pelissero reported. 

The Browns finished 4-12 and 5-12 over the past two seasons. It was not just because of the reliable players, but also because of the constant shuffling among them.

In five years, the Browns have introduced 11 quarterbacks, and none of them were good enough to build a franchise around. 

While the Browns argue that this rule would “provide Clubs with greater roster-building flexibility,” fans are calling out general manager Andrew Berry for his consistent failures.

Is This Berry’s Hail Mary Attempt to Keep His Job With the Browns?

“None of this suggests how it accomplish any of what they claim. This just shows a desperate GM would do anything to save their job and plunge the franchise into more darkness ahead,” one Browns fan commented. 

It was followed up by another one that said, “Cleveland being the team proposing to be able trade draft picks 5 years into the future is objectively hilarious. Can’t make this s*** up.”

The glaring mistake was obviously the five-year, $230 million Deshaun Watson trade. Franchise owner Jimmy Haslam called the trade a “swing and a miss.” And Berry has been looking to keep his job. 

His recent draft picks have been lackluster, too. While Carson Schwesinger and Quinshon Judkins turned out to be breakout stars, quarterback Dillon Gabriel was a massive letdown. Some fans who don’t trust Berry’s judgment even called him “desperate” and his plan rubbish. 

“Please do not let Andrew Berry have more power to ruin the @Browns future before he's fired. Bad teams will be fine bc they're ok mortgaging the future. Good teams will be fine bc they'll fleece the bad teams,” one X user replied. 

Meanwhile, one fan guessed that this rule change would allow the Browns to find their next star defensive end as Myles Garrett’s trade seems inevitable. 

“They’re preparing to trade Myles Garrett and want all the picks in the world lmao,” one comment read.

If the Browns lose Garrett, who made a sack record in 2025, their defensive unit would be very vulnerable. Hence, this rule has scope for trial and error, which would benefit Berry immensely. Only time would tell the Browns’ fate.

Read more at the Cleveland Browns Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Kalp Thaker