The Cleveland Browns are 2-8 heading into the final stretch of 2024 NFL regular season games, needing to win out to avoid their third losing season under head coach Kevin Stefanski in five years.
Cleveland’s solace is the potential for a high draft pick, something the team has not owned for three years as their first-round selections were traded to Houston for quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2022.
What the Browns will do with their first-round draft pick – one currently slatted at the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft – is certainly up for debate.
The 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino believes the team may shy away from one of its obvious needs to select another player who the analyst called the best in his class.
Valentino offered an interesting suggestion, naming Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks as the player he believes the Browns would go with at that draft position.
“Going with a quarterback makes sense for Cleveland, but Cam Ward plays too similarly to Deshaun Watson to feel like Kevin Stefanski would want him,” Valentino wrote, adding, “Instead, addressing the offensive line and then going with a quality quarterback in Round 2 (Jaxson Dart?) is a better play. Kelvin Banks is the best pure pass blocker in the class.”
The Browns have an aging offensive line unit as four offensive linemen – and two starters – are at least 30 years old.
Tackle has also been a position of concern as both Jedrick Wills and Dawand Jones have suffered significant injuries over the past two seasons, preventing each from playing multiple contests in both years.
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