Browns Draft Trade: Dallas Tried to Move Up
The Cleveland Browns came out of the 2026 NFL draft with extra draft capital and a clearer look at how aggressively teams around them wanted to climb the board. In a new ESPN production, the Browns’ draft room revealed that Browns draft trade discussions were active throughout the night, including multiple attempts by the Dallas Cowboys to move up to Cleveland’s No. 9 selection.
In the end, Cleveland held firm unless Dallas was willing to make a major offer. That decision fit the approach general manager Andrew Berry has used before: move down only when the return is strong enough to justify it. This year, as in the 2025 NFL draft, Berry traded down from near the top of the order and still came away with a player he wanted.
How the Browns draft trade talks unfolded
The Browns started the night by moving back three spots from their original position and picking up additional draft assets from the Kansas City Chiefs. Cleveland received an extra third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in that deal, then used the No. 9 selection on offensive tackle Spencer Fano.
That was only part of the story. The ESPN show The Pick Is In showed behind-the-scenes footage from the Browns’ war room, where Dallas made two separate attempts to trade up. The first proposal was a straight swap of picks 12 and 20 for Cleveland’s picks 9 and 24. Berry turned it down quickly.
Stephen Jones, the son of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, then tried again by adding a fifth-round pick to the offer. That version was also rejected without much hesitation. The first offer had been sent by text to two different Browns front-office members, including Berry, and when no one responded, Jones followed up with a phone call to present both trade ideas directly.
From the way the exchange played out, Cleveland never seemed close to accepting a deal unless Dallas significantly improved its offer. Jones appeared to understand that the Browns were not eager to move out of the ninth spot for anything less than a strong overpay, and both sides ended the conversation by wishing each other well for the rest of the draft night.
Why Berry stayed patient
For Cleveland, the Browns draft trade strategy was about value, not just movement. Berry already had a larger return from Kansas City, and he was willing to keep the ninth pick if the Cowboys’ package did not match the board value. That approach helped the Browns leave the draft with flexibility, a premium tackle, and more future capital.
Another NFC team also called to explore a move into the ninth slot, according to Jori Epstein, who was in the war room with the team. That detail reinforces the idea that Cleveland’s pick was in demand, which likely strengthened Berry’s leverage as the night went on.
The Cowboys eventually found another path, moving up one spot with the Miami Dolphins by giving up two fifth-round picks. Cleveland then used both of the picks it had acquired from Kansas City: the third-round selection helped Berry move up for safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, while the fifth-round pick was sent to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 draft.
Did the Browns get enough value?
That is the central question after this Browns draft trade story. On one hand, Dallas clearly wanted the No. 9 pick and had to keep searching for a different partner after Cleveland declined. On the other, Berry already collected meaningful assets earlier in the round and did not appear interested in taking a modest return just to move back again.
For fans tracking the Browns draft picks 2025, the 2nd round draft order, or the NFL draft tracker in general, this was a reminder that draft-night leverage matters as much as the player selected. Cleveland did not simply sell the pick because a team called. It waited for the right deal, then stayed disciplined when the Cowboys’ offers fell short.
As for the broader question of what the Browns traded to move up in draft scenarios this year, the answer is that they were both buyers and sellers. They moved down from the top tier, gained extra picks, selected Spencer Fano at No. 9, and later used those assets to maneuver again. That is the kind of flexible draft-night management that can shape a roster for years.
- The Browns passed on two Cowboys trade offers for the No. 9 pick.
- Dallas first offered picks 12 and 20 for Cleveland’s picks 9 and 24.
- The Cowboys then added a fifth-round pick, but Cleveland still said no.
- Cleveland had already gained a third and fifth-round pick from Kansas City.
- The Browns used the third-rounder to move up for Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
- The fifth-round pick was later flipped to Seattle for a 2027 fourth-rounder.
For those asking whether the Browns traded away their first-round draft pick, the answer is no. They kept the premium selection and used it on Spencer Fano after trading down from an earlier slot. They also did not trade the 17th pick in the draft, since that was not the pick in question here; the key decision centered on No. 9 and the offers from Dallas.
And if you are wondering whether Cleveland should have pushed harder for a bigger package, that debate will linger. The Browns clearly believed the Cowboys had not reached the price needed to justify moving back. In a draft where value was everything, Berry chose patience over a quick deal.
