That trade deadline is now nothing more than dust in the wind.

They traded away WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

With the addition of WR Cedric Tillman in the third-round of the draft, we all saw the writing on the wall for DPJ.

It’s now time for General Manager Andrew Berry to look at the current roster, and the 22 upcoming free agents at the end of the season; to see who we should give contract extensions to, now or after the season.

I’m going to tell you the 3 players that Berry should make sure, are wearing the Orange and Browns in 2024 and beyond.

1) Grant Delpit.

The 6’3″, 208 lbs, safety, was taken by the Browns with the 44th pick, in the second-round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

It wasn’t a great start to his career. As a rookie, he tore his Achilles tendon in training camp. He had the surgery before the regular season started and went through rehab that entire season.

Since coming back in his second year, Delpit has hardly missed the field since. He’s played in 39 games, the past 2.5 seasons.

His breakout season last year, really brough Browns fans into his camp. He recorded a whopping 105 tackles, 10 passes defended, and 4 interceptions in 2022.

Delpit is currently the Browns leading tackler this season with 43 tackles. He’s added 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 2 passes defended and 1 interception.

He’s proven that he can play in the box, stopping the run or he can cover WR’s, TE’s and HB’s coming across the middle of the field, going up the seam, or breaking towards the sideline.

He’s currently making $1,866,266 for this season. I think that he’s more than proven his value to this team.

Personally, I think he’s right around that Top 10 mark. Giving Delpit an immediate contract extension should be priority #1 for the Browns.

A 5-year, $62.5 Million Dollar contract is where he fits. That would make him the 10th highest paid player at his position.

2) Anthony Walker Jr.

The 6’1″, 235 lbs, linebacker was drafted in the fifth-round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2017.

After spending his first four seasons there, the Browns signed him to man the middle of the defense. He’s been everything they’ve hoped for. Walker Jr is the veteran leader on this defense. He wears the green dot, and gets the play calls in. He’s a mentor to JOK and Takitaki.

Those are just some of the reasons, that he’s been voted a Team Captain the last two seasons.

The problem with Anthony Walker Jr is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy the last two seasons.

He is currently third on the team in tackles with 32 on the season. He’s added 2 passes defended and 1 fumble recovery.

He’s currently making $1,232,500 this season.

A good middling 3-year contract for $12 Million is fair for Walker Jr.

3) Corey Bojorquez.

I know, I know. Y’all think I’m crazy for having a punter on this list. As the great character Sheldon Lee Cooper says, “I’m not crazy, my mother had me tested”.

The undrafted punter, who played his college football at the University of New Mexico is in his second season as a Cleveland Brown.

He’s a steady player. You know that you’re getting a good to great punter. He doesn’t make a lot of shank kicks. He’s never had more than 7 touchbacks in a single season.

He is currently 8th in the league, averaging 48.9 yards per kick. He also ranks 10th in net yards per kick, at 43.1.

He has 12 kicks inside the 20-yard line, and only 2 touchbacks, with a long of 69 yards.

He can flip the field position game, on any given kick. That is invaluable, especially to a team like the Browns, who have a Top 3 defense in the league.

Here is something that is NEVER looked at……he’s a cold weather specialist. He’s put up great numbers in Buffalo and Green Bay, before coming to Cleveland.

He is currently making $1,690,000 a season.

I think that a 3-year contract for $6 Million, is a very fair deal.

HERE WE GO BROWNIES, HERE WE GO!!!

– by Sean McKenzie

Photos courtesy of…..wallpapercave, cleveland.com, usatoday, msn, wallpapers

Stats, contract information, courtesy of…..ESPN, spotrac, usatoday