Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns head into April’s NFL draft armed with eight selections.
For the third year in a row, they won’t have a first-round pick to make, thanks to the Deshaun Watson trade.
Watson has yet to show the value Cleveland expected when they made such a deal, leading to much criticism.
On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski shared on Twitter how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ playoff win impacted the Browns.
Thanks to Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who advanced to the second round, the Cleveland Browns will officially flip this year's 23rd overall draft pick to the Houston Texans as part of the Deshaun Watson trade.
— Brent Sobleski (@brentsobleski) January 16, 2024
According to Sobleski, The Buccaneers’ win over Philadelphia settled the Browns’ 2024 NFL Draft position.
The strength of the schedule decides the order in which the 11-6 Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Browns pick.
There was a good chance the Browns would end up with the 22nd overall selection.
Given Cleveland’s history with that pick, it might have lessened the criticism of Berry to trade it away.
That is, of course, a tongue-in-cheek observation, as Cleveland could certainly use a first-round pick.
But after selecting Johnny Manziel, Brandon Weeden, and Brady Quinn at No. 22, it might be a cursed position.
Recent 22nd overall picks Zay Flowers (2023), Quay Walker (2022), and Justin Jefferson (2020) are off to good starts.
So maybe the curse is just a Browns thing and wouldn’t affect Houston, who have done well in recent first rounds.
But it’s a moot point now, as Cleveland winds up sending the 23rd overall pick to the Texans.
Berry and the Browns are slated to go on the board for the first time in the second round at No. 55 overall.
If nothing changes, that will be the earliest Browns selection since 2021.
Cleveland also has a third-round pick and two more in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds.
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