Browns reportedly turned down trade offer for Joel Bitonio

The Cleveland Browns need help on the offensive line, which is why it would be foolish to trade away one of the few good players they have.

But that is the scenario that Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead reportedly offered last week to Cleveland general manager John Dorsey.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, citing unnamed league sources, Snead called Dorsey and offered cornerback Marcus Peters in exchange for left guard Joel Bitonio. Snead’s thinking, according to Schefter, was that since Dorsey drafted Peters in 2015 while with the Kansas City Chiefs, Dorsey would of course want to bring Peters to Cleveland.

Never mind that Bitonio is one of the best guards in the league, they don’t need another cornerback, and the Rams could not wait to get rid of Peters, Snead apparently figured he could get one by on Dorsey.

To his credit, rather than hanging up the phone immediately, Dorsey ultimately turned the tables and convinced Snead to accept Austin Corbett, an offensive lineman without a position, in exchange for the Rams fifth-round pick in 2021.

The Rams would ultimately send Peters to the Baltimore Ravens for linebacker Kenny Young and a fifth-round 2020 draft pick.