Browns of course screwed this up, but probably in their favor.
AJ McCarron is a suspect QB at best and the Browns were about to give the Bengals some good picks, but alas being the Browns they messed it up.
According to Schefter, the Bengals notified the league of the proposed trade at 3:55 p.m. ET, and the Browns notified the league shortly after 4 p.m. ET. Because the Browns were late, the league denied the trade. Cleveland protested with the league asking that the trade be approved. The NFL rejected the Browns protest.
The proposed compensation for McCarron would have been a second- and third-round pick in 2018, a source confirmed to Schefter. The Cincinnati Enquirer first reported the compensation.
If I am the Bengals I am furious at the Browns incompetence because they were about to rob them blind.