Justin Gilbert's disappointing run in Cleveland is at an end.
The Browns traded the former first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, the Browns announced. The Browns got a sixth-round pick in 2018 in return for Gilbert.
ESPN first reported the trade.
Since being drafted No. 8 overall in 2014, Gilbert has struggled, starting just three games in two seasons. Gilbert often looked lost in coverage and was picked on when on the field.
Browns coach Hue Jackson talked up Gilbert's maturity growth this summer. The corner displayed a modicum of improvement this preseason but still looked lost at times. The 24-year-old suffered a concussion in the team's third preseason game.
The Steelers have been scouring to upgrade their cornerback group. Pittsburgh drafted Artie Burns in the first round, but the 6-foot corner dealt with a quad injury during training camp before playing in the final preseason game.
It's rare for a teams to make inner-division trades, but it speaks to what the Browns thought of Gilbert's progress.
For Cleveland it's another reminder that executive vice president Sashi Brown and the new brass is in full-on rebuild mode with no concerns about jettisoning the previous regime's picks.
