Why Browns trading WR Donovan Peoples-Jones was the right move

The Browns traded WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Lions in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2025. It's certainly not a deal that excites those in Cleveland but here is why it was the right move.

Contract year

Peoples-Jones has been a great player for the Browns over the past three and a half years, posting 117 catches for 1,837 yards and eight touchdowns. However, Cleveland has invested a lot in the position over the past couple of years, trading for Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore and drafting David Bell and Cedric Tillman.

The 24-year-old is in the final year of his rookie deal and it was very unlikely that the team was going to extend him following the 2023 season. So, it makes sense that the Browns wanted to get something in return for him, even if it were a future late-round pick.

It's the rookie's time

Cleveland has been excited about Tillman, who it drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but the rookie has just one catch for five yards. Moving Peoples-Jones will surely give Tillman more opportunities to show the Browns what they have.

The 23-year-old had 64 catches for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021 for the University of Tennessee. Who knows? He may just be the next Peoples-Jones as he stands at a massive 6-foot-3, 215 pounds.

Sending him home

Forcing a player to relocate as part of a trade is never an easy thing to do, but that isn't quite the case for Peoples-Jones. The fourth year wide receiver grew up in Detroit, Michigan and played collegiately for the University of Michigan.

Now Peoples-Jones gets to go home and play for his hometown team, a team that happens to sit in first place in the NFC North with a record of 6-2. There doesn't seem to be any bad blood as Cleveland thanked him for everything he did for the team and wished him well in his fresh start.