How the Browns can get on track, starting with the 2016 NFL Draft
During the infancy of the Cleveland Browns' new regime, it's been made clear that business will no longer be conducted per usual.
Cleveland traded the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, along with a 2017 fourth-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their first-round pick (No. 8 overall), 2016 third- and fourth-round picks, 2017 first-round selection, and 2018 second-round choice.
It's clear the Browns don't need to select their franchise quarterback in this year's draft, with a long, methodical overhaul in place. With an NFL-best 12 picks, the Browns will be able to address multiple positions of need.
Here's a proposed strategy for how the Browns can get back on track in the first year of a drastic rebuild:
1st round (No. 8 overall)
The Browns need to draft the best player available, irrespective of position, with this selection. If the team feels that quarterback Paxton Lynch doesn't warrant the eighth overall pick, the Browns are presented with a myriad of options.
Cleveland recorded a paltry 28 sacks last year and if defensive end Joey Bosa is available, the Ohio State standout may end up being a major coup for the organization. Bosa could trigger some anxiety considering the Browns whiffed on outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo with the No. 6 pick in 2013, but it'd be silly to assume the players would produce identical outcomes. UCLA outside linebacker Myles Jack will also be in consideration, but concerns over his knee makes him a somewhat dangerous prospect.
A prospect of Ezekiel Elliott's caliber is a tantalizing possibility for many teams, but the Browns can add a running back later in the draft. If cornerback Jalen Ramsey somehow falls to No. 8, the Browns should rush the podium to take the most talented defensive back in five years.
2nd round (No. 32 overall)
Due to New England's forfeiture of its first-round pick stemming from the "Deflategate" scandal, the Browns are essentially gifted with another first-round selection. At this juncture, the Browns need to see how the first round develops and select the best player available, relative to their needs.
Browns head coach Hue Jackson put an emphasis on bigger, faster wide receivers and Ohio State's Michael Thomas fits that description perfectly. At 6-foot-3, Thomas can box out defenders and would likely start atop the depth chart since Travis Benjamin left in free agency and Josh Gordon remains suspended.
Cleveland finished 30th in rushing defense last year, and if Mississippi State defensive tackle Chris Jones remains on the board, the Browns will think long and hard about taking him.
If Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg is available, he'll certainly warrant discussion in the Browns' war room. However, if they realize they don't need to take a quarterback so early in the rebuild, they'll likely address one of their other glaring needs.
3rd round (No. 65 overall)
This is where the Browns should elect to take a quarterback that could develop into the team's starter with some time. Michigan State's Connor Cook is ideal in this role and would put up a worthy challenge against Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown in training camp. In a draft from which Jared Goff and Carson Wentz are the only surefire bets to start at quarterback during Week 1, it'd be wise for the Browns to take the long view and give Cook time to emerge as a viable option for 2017. Another option is Penn State's Austin Johnson.
If not, the Browns can project ahead to the 2017 draft, where all-world quarterback prospects Deshaun Watson and Brad Kaaya figure to be available.
3rd round (No. 77 overall, via Philadelphia)
Center Alex Mack and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz both left in free agency, creating a void on the Browns' offensive line. Cameron Erving will start at center, but the Browns need to find a replacement at right tackle as Austin Pasztor has done little to suggest he's capable of starting. Cleveland should target Texas A&M's Germain Ifedi as a Week 1 starter, but if he's unavailable, the Browns should turn to Auburn offensive tackle Shon Coleman to fill the gap. Cleveland's offensive line is still one of its strong suits, but it needs refinement, which either prospect can provide.
4th round (No. 99 overall)
Roberto Aguayo is the best kicker to enter the league in nearly a decade, and if he's still available, the Browns should get him at a premium. It may seem like a ludicrous proposition upon first glance, considering that not a single kicker was drafted last year. The pick makes perfect sense if the Browns are thinking long term, however, as it would fill a void for the next decade with a generational talent at the position.
4th round (No. 100 overall)
Miles Killebrew could be the NFL's next game-changing safety, but he's flying under the radar in large part due to the weak competition he faced at the collegiate level. A hybrid safety/linebacker and the draft's most punishing hitter, Killebrew improved in coverage throughout his career at Southern Utah. The Browns have a void at strong safety after releasing Donte Whitner, and Killebrew's bruising style of play and strong ability in the run game would make him a seamless fit.
4th round (No. 138 overall)
UCLA running back Paul Perkins represents great value at a position of need for the Browns, and he'd be able to challenge for the lead back spot during training camp. Perkins rattled off consecutive 1,300-plus yard seasons and could end up being one of the steals of the draft. Ezekiel Elliott is the lone marquee talent at running back this year, while Perkins has the ceiling to become a 1,000-yard-plus rusher in the NFL. Although he needs significant work as a pass-blocker, the Browns should pounce on a player of his talent.
5th-7th round (No. 141, 172, 173, 176, 223)
With five picks on the final day of the draft, the Browns can afford to stockpile assets at positions of need and/or target deep sleepers on their board. Cleveland can take another developmental quarterback, such as Indiana's Nate Sudfeld, or a promising, unknown prospect like German-born wide receiver Moritz Boehringer. The Browns should continue to accrue assets along their offensive line and in the secondary with these picks, setting the team up with a base formula for continual improvement entering the 2016 campaign.
