The Cleveland Browns can secure top talent and address key needs by trading back in the NFL Draft, potentially acquiring a tackle and a wide receiver. If they can't, though, all bets are off.
After months of speculation, the NFL Draft has finally arrived, and for the Cleveland Browns, months of speculation over what to do with two first round picks all comes to a head.
The team's needs are obvious. Most of the offseason has been spent debating which tackles or wide receivers to take, and which first-round pick to use on either position. And while that may seem like a sound strategy, general manager Andrew Berry has been adamant that he won't be handcuffed by needs over simply taking talent.
That's why what the Browns do with the No. 6 overall pick is complicated. And frankly, why trading back is probably the best option for them, particularly if they want to prioritize those needs.
Of course, it takes two to tango. Cleveland needs a trade partner if it's going to move back in the draft. A few teams have emerged. The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the most frequently rumored teams looking for a trade-up from their first pick at 12 overall. Several insiders have even mocked a Cowboys-Browns trade in recent weeks.
The Los Angeles Rams are the other rumored team that could be willing to make a big move up the board. Either option works for the Browns.
There is a pretty good chance that when the Browns are on the clock at six, one or multiple of the small number of blue chip players in this draft are still available. That list probably starts with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, but could also include his college teammate Sonny Styles or even Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love.
Those are the names that could probably entice a team to trade up and if executed, Cleveland then ends up in perfect position to draft a tackle. Taking guys like Georgia's Monroe Freeling, Utah's Spencer Fano or even Alabama's Kadyn Proctor in the early teens rather than reaching at six is much better value.
Doing so would also pave the way for Berry to finish off that o-line rebuild first, and then turn his attention to wide receiver, where the hit rate on guys even outside the first round is much higher.
From there, he can either wait for the second pick to commence at 24 overall and take their favorite wide receiver (maybe Omar Cooper Jr., KC Concepcion or Denzel Boston) or be a little more aggressive if needed to get one by trading up and voila, needs addressed.
All of that feels like the most sensible route for Berry to take on Thursday night. But again, there are a lot of variables to executing it, most notably having someone to trade back with.
If such an option doesn't materialize, well, then all bets are off and if one of Downs, Styles or Love were to be there, nobody should be stunned if Cleveland pulled the trigger.
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