The Cleveland Browns have a lot of holes to fix in their young, depleted, factory-of-sadness organization. As I always say: “they’re only a team away from winning the Super Bowl”. Since 1999, the team has only won 10 games once, that being in 2007. They’ve made the playoffs once in 2002, and every other season has been an utter disappointment.
So where do you start in the NFL Draft if you’re the new analytics-backed Browns management? Wide receiver.
Let’s face it. Josh Gordon ain’t bringing what he brought to the team in his record-setting 2013 season. He failed another drug test yesterday, testing positive for marijuana use and dilute. I’m sorry, but if you try and dilute a sample to get away with a positive drug test, after your 3rd and 4th instances with the matter, you don’t get it. Even if you don’t frequently use it, even if it’s your friends’ faults, you clearly do not get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of being a great NFL wide receiver.
So the Browns need to get a wide receiver in the first round. With the second pick? I wouldn’t recommend it, but I would not be against it. The more likely scenario would be to trade for a later first round pick and another later pick, or trade up for a total of two first round picks (note: Browns have the 32nd pick, since the Patriots forfeited their pick, but it is considered the 2nd round).
Look back at the “successful” Browns years. When’s the last time the Browns won the most? 2007. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. were racking up the yards (those were also their best seasons, sadly). They won 10 games and barely missed they playoffs. Yes, they had a pro bowl season out of Derek Anderson, but the WR/TE duo were also pro bowlers.
The Browns also had a duo of Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon in 2013, who were both pro bowlers, but with no solid QB. Right now, they have a pro bowler in Gary Barnidge, who has at least a few more good years in him, and a good wide receiver would complement him.
Now, the Browns have a coach in Hue Jackson, who runs a pro-QB offense, and a somewhat successful QB in Robert Griffin III, who showed promise in his Pro Bowl rookie-of-the-year season, only to be subject to unfortunate injuries, unfairly getting the boot for not learning a new offense early enough, and getting another shot in Cleveland.
The Browns, as much as the talent is there from Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, and Paxton Lynch, need to cover other areas first before the QB position, and they rarely cover the wide receiver position in the first round, let alone the entire NFL Draft.
Laquon Treadwell, 6’2″, 221 pounds out of Ole Miss, is at the top of the prospect charts. Corey Coleman is a stud out of Baylor, but is under 6 foot, and the Browns are very known for having those on their team. Michael Thomas is high on my list, but maybe because I watched him a lot at Ohio State. But at 6’3″, 221 pounds, and with extreme speed and athleticism, it is hard to not be in favor of him.
Whoever the Browns draft at wide receiver early will make an immediate impact. This draft is stocked with talent at the position, and it has been seen that rookies can make impacts right away.
I’m not condoning drafting a QB early, but the Browns have bigger problems to address before fully addressing that position, especially with the recent news on Josh Gordon.
Lake Erie Sports 