Cleveland Browns Bold Predictions During The Draft

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May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Cleveland Browns fans cheer after Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) is selected as the number twenty-two overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Cleveland Browns at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

No Drafted Players On Thursday

Kris Grimes

My bold prediction? It would probably play out a lot like Nick’s — trading back more and selecting an offensive lineman. However, I am going to take it one step further. The Cleveland Browns trade out of the first round completely.

With their sights clearly set on a long-term rebuild, I could see Sashi Brown looking to trade out of the first round if it meant a boatload of more “value” picks.

The process would start out innocently with the Browns trading back from the eighth pick to 15th with the Tennessee Titans. Then a team such as the Arizona Cardinals who owns the 29th pick could come calling for the 15th pick. Arizona might be interested in such a pick because Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch could still be on the board. They need to find a successor to starting quarterback Carson Palmer.

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So Brown pulls the trigger and makes the deal. He gets the 29th pick in the first round, a 2017 second rounder, and a 2016 third rounder. For Cleveland Browns fans that means no players like Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch, Ezekiel Elliott, or LaQuon Treadwell ends up in NE Ohio. The big name playmakers are off of the draft board by 29. Our hopes for an elite playmaker are all but squashed.

Well, Brown’s not done. He decides that the Browns no longer have a need that they could not address at the top of the second round. So the Browns trade with the Dallas Cowboys who moves back into the first round and ahead of the Denver Broncos at 31. They end up selecting Michigan State QB Connor Cook.