Browns help struggling offensive line, acquire LT from Texans

The Browns and Texans have worked out a Robinson trade involving a late-round pick swap, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Sixth- and seventh-round selections in 2027 are being exchanged, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network add. Robinson is a pending free agent.

The 29-year-old spent eight-plus years handling blindside duties with the Jaguars. Robinson’s time in Duval County came to an end midway through the 2024 campaign when he was traded to the Vikings. That move allowed him to fill in for an injured Christian Darrisaw through the remainder of the season. As a free agent, Robinson returned to the AFC South by inking a one-year pact with Houston carrying a base value of $12M.

The majority of that compensation was already paid out as a signing bonus. As a result, the Browns will only take on the prorated remainder of Robinson’s $2M base salary; $1.25M in per-game roster bonuses are also present. This agreement will give Cleveland — a team which has struggled at both tackle spots early in the season en route to a 1-3 start — a veteran presence on the blindside. Robinson has 104 regular season appearances (all but two of those being starts) to his name.

Cam Robinson had been relegated to backup position with Houston Texans

Houston underwent a number of changes up front this offseason, one in which Laremy Tunsil was traded away. That appeared to open the door to Robinson handling first-team duties at the left tackle spot, but rookie Aireontae Ersery impressed during training camp. The second-round pick has handled the starting gig as a result, relegating Robinson to backup duties. The Texans looked into a trade during roster cutdowns, but the Alabama product remained in the fold through the first month of the campaign.

Despite Houston’s struggles up front so far, the team has elected to move forward with a trade this time around. Robinson will look to quickly work his way into Cleveland’s lineup. A strong run of play with the Browns will likely not be sufficient for a postseason berth to be possible, but it could help his free agent stock for next spring. With both tackle spots being a question mark for the Browns beyond the current season, Robinson could play his way into an extended stay in Cleveland depending on how the coming months unfold.