Browns: New mock draft has team trading up to get player

The Cleveland Browns are a team that could make a thousand different moves during the 2021 NFL Draft and most of them would make perfect sense. The team has some holes but those holes (besides linebacker) aren’t as deep as they’ve been in years past. That doesn’t mean that the team won’t make big moves to fill little holes, however.

Enter the Draft Network’s latest 2021 NFL Mock Draft by Trevor Sikkema. The fifth version of his mock has the Browns making big moves and going from pick No. 26, to pick No. 16.

In the trade scenario, the Browns send their No. 26, No. 89, and No. 134 picks in the first, third and fourth-round respectively to the Arizona Cardinals for their No. 16 overall pick. A fair trade for the Browns but maybe the Cardinals aren’t getting enough, but who cares about them. They got J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins for next to nothing. They can give back to the NFL.

In this trade scenario, the Browns move up to get University of Miami defensive end, Jaelan Phillips. As Sikkema explains it;

"16. BrownsJaelan PhillipsEDGE, MiamiTRADE: CLE trades No. 26, No. 89 (3rd round) & No. 134 (4th round) to ARI for No. 16With just five picks in the draft, the Cardinals don’t exactly have the ammo to get aggressive like they were in free agency. With the top cornerback options off the board, they find a way to move back. Cleveland, seeing the chance to pair Phillips with Myles Garrett, jumps at the chance to move up and increase their winning window."

I’m all for moving up in the draft if there’s a guy that moves the needle but here’s why it better not be Phillips. Firstly, I want Phillips. Absolutely I do. He’s got so much potential. Yet, if the Browns sign Jadeveon Clowney, then you’re rolling four deep already at defensive end. With Porter Gustin, Takk McKinley, Myles Garrett, and Clowney on the team, when will Phillips get a chance to play? Gustin and Clowney will need to be on the field against the run, and McKinley was signed for a reason. So adding a fifth guy to the rotation isn’t great.

Secondly, if you’re moving up, you better go get a player that can make an immediate impact at corner, safety, linebacker, defensive tackle, or receiver. Phillips will probably still be there around the time the Browns are set to pick originally, so moving up to go get someone who no longer fills a need seems unwise.

Let us know in the comments if you think the Browns should move and who they should draft if they do.