The Cleveland Browns are no strangers to holding a top-five pick in the NFL Draft. The Browns have selected in the top five nine times since they were reincarnated as an expansion team in 1999 and will do it for a 10th time when they’re on the clock with the second overall pick next month. But while Cleveland has been here before, this selection comes with some extra weight.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski are on the hot seat entering the 2025 season. While Cleveland has plenty of needs, the focus is on the quarterback position after Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles tendon for the second time since October.
With free agent and trade options dried up, taking a quarterback may be the best option to fix the problem. But it sounds like the Browns could be in position for another draft day mistake and it could be one that costs the Cleveland brain trust its jobs.
Adam Schefter Believes Browns Will Take Abdul Carter in NFL Draft
ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped his latest intel during an episode of NFL Live on Wednesday, saying that if the draft were held right now, the Browns would take edge rusher Abdul Carter with the second overall pick in next month’s draft.
“Abdul Carter right now is the likely pick at No. 2 today,” Schefter said. “We reserve the right to change our mind. A lot of things change. But the way this is shaking out to me looks like he’s tracking to be a Brown and let’s see how it plays out.”
Taking Carter may not be a disastrous pick for the Browns, who need playmakers no matter the position. But it could be a redundant selection after paying Myles Garrett $40 million per season to revoke his trade request last month. It also ignores the Browns’ biggest issue which is finding a franchise quarterback.
Cleveland was interested in Russell Wilson until he signed a deal with the New York Giants this week. The Browns don’t have the cap space or interest to lure Aaron Rodgers to Cleveland and Kirk Cousins would require a trade that takes on the bulk of his four-year, $160 million contract. While the Browns traded for Kenny Pickett, he’s not the best candidate to start considering Stefanski and Berry need the team to win now.
There’s also something to be said for managing their draft capital. Cleveland has nine picks in the draft, including four selections on the first two days. But they could get a haul for the No. 2 overall pick if they decide to trade it instead of taking Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward, making it a better decision than taking Carter with their pick.
Adding more capital could also help them trade for Cousins or another solution that could get them through the 2025 season and perhaps land Texas’s Arch Manning or Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava in next year’s draft.
Of course, time is not on the Browns' side and adding Carter could be viewed as the move that helps them win now. While it could be a smoke screen to entice another team that loves Carter to trade up, it will inspire panic among a fanbase that just wants an answer at quarterback.