For the first time in four years, the Cleveland Browns will have their first-round draft pick after trading the previous three years’ selections to the Houston Texans as part of the Deshaun Watson trade.
Cleveland’s pick will be the second overall selection, following the Tennessee Titans despite both teams finishing with a 3-14 record in 2024.
The Browns have several needs to address in the draft, but none are perhaps bigger than the quarterback position as Watson has looked below average over the past three years.
Should Cleveland make their pick or look to trade the valuable selection?
Insider Field Yates believes the Browns should propose a trade with another quarterback-needy team this offseason.
“I would have the Cleveland Browns doing everything in their power to move down from pick 2, probably to pick 6,” Yates said.
"I would have the Cleveland Browns doing everything in their power to move down from pick 2, probably to pick 6," – @FieldYates. pic.twitter.com/coKEhD108O
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) January 8, 2025
Yates picked the sixth overall selection for the Browns, naming the Las Vegas Raiders as a potential trade partner.
He suggested the Raiders would be on the hunt for a quarterback as well, making them a likely trade partner for the Browns.
The insider suggested that Cleveland can address other needs on their roster with the lower pick while adding draft capital via the trade.
“Left tackle would be amongst the most obvious ones. Will Campbell, LSU’s left tackle, is right there for me at the very top of the left tackle board,” Yates said.
He added that Campbell is perhaps the better player over Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.
Banks has a “bigger body,” but Campbell is a “freaky athlete” with great footwork to add to that athleticism, Yates said.
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