3. What are the Cleveland Browns’ plans?
We’re not even sure the Browns have any idea what they are doing atop the draft. What we do know is that general manager Sashi Brown has four picks in the first two rounds in which to work with this week. They also boast four picks in the first two rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.
The working assumption has been that Cleveland would take Myles Garrett No. 1 overall and potentially look to swing a deal for Jimmy Garoppolo for its second first-round pick (12th overall). That was said to be the team’s “dream scenario.” Unfortunately, New England has thrown a wrench into this plan by apparently taking Garoppolo off the trade market.
That has left Cleveland scrambling for a potential franchise quarterback — something the team’s front office really wants to accomplish during the draft. It’s in this that there’s a scenario in play suggesting Cleveland could take Mitch Trubisky No. 1 over Myles Garrett. Rumors are also swirling that the Browns might look to move up in order to nab both Trubisky and Garrett.
As if this weren’t enough, what the 49ers do at two (more on that below) could very well dictate the remainder of Cleveland’s draft plans after the first pick.
Coming off a one-win season and with a ton of draft capital, the relatively inexperienced Browns front office is under a tremendous amount of pressure to ace the draft. It could lead to the team making a snap decision in a trade up or dropping the ball altogether. It could also lead the Browns shaping how the remainder of the draft itself plays out.