Giants' Vernon traded to Browns for Zeitler

The New York Giants traded pass rusher Olivier Vernon to the Cleveland Browns on Friday for right guard Kevin Zeitler, according to multiple reports. The two teams also are swapping mid-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, with the Giants sending a fourth-round selection (132nd overall) to the Browns for a fifth-rounder (155th), per NFL Network.

Vernon, 28, registered seven sacks in 11 games last season and had 22 sacks in three seasons since joining the Giants in 2016. Vernon was a third-round pick by Miami in 2012 and played in 64 games (46 starts) with the Dolphins, posting a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2013.

Zeitler, who turned 29 on Friday, started all 32 games in two seasons with the Browns. Zeitler was Cincinnati's first-round pick in 2012 and started 71 of his 72 games with the Bengals from 2012-16.

Vernon signed a five-year, $85 million contract in 2016. He is due to a base salary of $15.25 million this season and was set to count $19.5 million on the Giants' books. With the trade, New York saves $11.5 million against the cap and will carry $8 million in dead money in 2019, according to NFL.com. Zeitler has three years remaining on a five-year, $60 million contracts signed in 2017. He is scheduled to earn $10 million this season.