Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – For the first time in what feels like a millennium, the Cleveland Browns won’t be shopping for a potential franchise quarterback this week at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
And considering what's available in this year's class, that's great news.
Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner, are the top two arms that will receive the attention and headlines this week, everywhere but Cleveland.
After selecting Baker Mayfield, who broke the rookie QB record for TD passes with 27 of them last season, No. 1 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Browns general manager John Dorsey and his staff will have their focus elsewhere in preparing to address pressing needs – most likely on defense.
Sure, the Browns, who currently hold the 17th pick in the draft, need help at left tackle and with depth on the offensive line. They could use a No. 1 receiver to compliment Jarvis Landry too, but their priorities most likely will be on the other side of the ball, especially the front seven.
Nabbing a pass rush and run stopping compliment for Myles Garrett, who had 13.5 sacks in 2018 and has 20.5 sacks in 27 career games, must be a priority this offseason and new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks wasn’t shy about expressing that during his introductory press conference.
Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa probably won’t get past Arizona or San Francisco so forget about him for the Browns.
Alabama’s Quinnen Williams is regarded as one of the best defensive tackles in the class, but he should also be long gone before the Browns come close to going on the clock, barring a significant move up the board by Dorsey.
So, what’s left? Plenty.
Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, Houston’s Ed Oliver or Ohio State’s Dre’Mont Jones might be in the conversation come April and they should receive plenty of attention in Indianapolis.
The Browns also need to add punch at linebacker – namely speed. Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey have been mainstays and tackling machines the last few years. Jamie Collins has shown what made him a Pro Bowler in 2015 – just not consistently – and there’s a chance Cleveland could move on from him with the guaranteed money in his contract already paid.
On the surface, it appears that the draft might not be the place to find upgrades this year, but the combine should help provide some clarity.
LSU’s Devin White is projected to be the best linebacker of the bunch, but the class falls off from there according to most draft pundits.
We should get a better idea what the decisionmakers think of the group this week.
Even after drafting Denzel Ward, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, No. 4 overall last year, the Browns still need help at corner, and this is projected to be a deep class which is good news for Dorsey as he builds a deeper roster.
LSU’s Greedy Williams, Byron Murphy from Washington, Deandre Baker of Georgia, Clemson’s Trayvon Mullen and Jamel Dean from Auburn are all rated as first-round worthy players, but Dorsey might be able to hold off for a few rounds while addressing other needs.
