The Cleveland Browns essentially lit a dynamite stick on Friday evening, sending the football world into a frenzy by making a series of trades that will impact their short- and long-term goals.
Cleveland agreed to acquire Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry, and Damarious Randall in separate deals, while moving numerous draft picks around in order to secure some coveted assets.
The Browns are one of the offseason's most intruiging teams, armed with the No. 1 and No. 4 picks in the upcoming draft, along with an abundance of cap space.
We break down what each of Friday's trades mean for the Browns entering free agency and the draft.
Acquire Taylor from Bills in exchange for 3rd-round pick (2018)
Taylor is a starting quarterback and in a vacuum, the Browns acquired some measure of stability at their most important position. This isn't what the trade was about, however, and the Browns won't feel compelled to select a quarterback with the first overall pick as common logic would dictate.
If the Browns believe Taylor is their quarterback of the future, they've found a starter before free agency begins in earnest. If the Browns opt to select a quarterback with the first or fourth overall pick, they can allow the rookie to develop at their own pace while Taylor operates as a high-level stop-gap option. One thing is certain: The Browns aren't taking half-measures anymore at quarterback.
Acquire Landry from Dolphins in exchange for 4th-round (2018), 7th-round picks (2019)
Landry led the NFL with 112 receptions in 2017 and now joins a quietly formidable receiving group alongside Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon. Detractors will note that Landry averaged 8.8 yards per reception, a total that pales in comparison to the rest of the NFL's elite. Landry, however, is a perfect fit for Taylor, both of whom thrive in the short-to-intermediate passing range and could serve as a safety valve for a rookie in 2018.
No one will mistake Landry for his best friend, Odell Beckham Jr., but getting a three-time Pro Bowler in his prime for a fraction of the expected cost is a major coup for general manager John Dorsey.
Acquire Randall from Packers in exchange for DeShone Kizer, both teams to swap 4th-, 5th-round picks
It feels almost cruel to scrutinize Kizer after playing his rookie with little support, but this trade is a tacit admission that the Browns made a mistake selecting him in the second round in 2017. Kizer threw 11 TDs against 22 interceptions and often looked lost while the Browns slumped to a winless season. It's Dorsey's team now and it's clear that he wants to remake the roster in his vision, getting rid of the pieces from Sashi Brown's disastrous tenure.
Randall is a talented yet erratic defensive back who racked up 47 tackles, nine pass deflections, and four interceptions in 14 games during the 2017 season. He was also benched for an internal matter in October and some noted an immaturity about Randall which seeped into his play. Randall, a former first-round pick gives the Browns another defensive back to mold, and it's possible that it could serve as a wake-up call ahead of the 2018 season.
