It wasn't always this way.
For many years on the shores of Lake Erie, fans of the Cleveland Browns would spend most of the fall and all of the frigid winter season waiting anxiously for the month of April to arrive.
They made plans to huddle with friends and family to take in Day 1 of the NFL Draft when, for most years, the Browns would hold a Top-10 selection. Or multiple Top-10 selections. Or even, multiple top-10's that included the ultimate prize: No. 1 overall. Their "reward” for finishing with the worst record in the NFL the previous season.
The entire toy store was theirs for the choosing. From shiny Heisman Trophy winners and mammoth guardians (it's growing on you, isn't it?) on the offensive line, to pass rush artists and blazing wide receivers, the possibilities were endless. Unfortunately, the number of "busts" over those years also seemed endless.
From Brandon Weeden and Johnny Manziel, to Corey Coleman and Barkevious Mingo, they just could not seem to solve the riddle that was talented football players. Of course, it might not all have been on the players.
There was Ray Farmer, who appeared allergic to Pro Days (perhaps one face-to-face meeting in Stillwater, Oklahoma, could have saved Mike Pettine the embarrassment of telling us all about Justin Gilbert's "demons" the following year in Indianapolis). There was also Mike Holmgren, who also appeared allergic to, well, work. And we all know about Hue and Freddie and blah, blah, blah.
But something happened after Hue's dip in Lake Erie -- the Browns were able to cobble together some pretty talented football players via the draft, free agency, and trade partners. And better yet? They were able to lock up some of those players to long-term extensions.
Can we call it a foundation?
Browns star running back Nick Chubb and new wide receiver Amari Cooper are signed through 2024.
Browns guard Wyatt Teller? He put pen to paper to keep him in Cleveland through 2025.
Pass rusher Myles Garrett, cornerback Greg Newsome, guard Joel Bitonio, and franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson all will be in Cleveland through 2026.
Denzel Ward just signed up to play for the franchise through at least 2027.
After an improbable 2020 campaign that saw the Browns and then-rookie head coach Kevin Stefanski post a record of 11-5 and a playoff win over the hated Steelers, the team came crashing back to Earth last season. They dipped to 8-9 amid plenty of finger pointing and dysfunction to go along with a myriad of injuries that included quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield could be traded as early as draft night after Jimmy and Dee Haslam rocked the football world by signing Watson to a guaranteed $230 million dollar GUARANTEED contract. The guaranteed money, alone, was enough to register on the NFL Richter scale. Add to it 22 civil lawsuits for sexual assault that are still hanging over the Browns' signal caller and you can be assured of tremors still rumbling.
While nobody can deny that the Browns have made huge strides in garnering talent, it is definitely fair to raise concerns about the "tough, smart, accountable" mantra that appeared to be locked in after 2020. The reality is, winning cultures take time. Lots of it.
Many people, including this column's author, thought it had been achieved in one season. I couldn't have been more wrong.
It may be easy to look at this year's Browns' draft and feel like it's importance is simply tied to where they are selecting. As of this date, they don't have a first round selection. They are slated to make their first pick on Friday night at No. 44 overall. In total, they have seven selections including two in the third round. Might they trade up into the first round? Possibly, but I wouldn't bet on it.
While these next three days will be about filling holes along the defensive front and wide receiver room, it is also about procuring depth across the entire roster. Adding depth is what championship teams do after building a solid foundation. It's imperative for young players to improve and develop. That means it's incumbent on Stefanski and his staff to make that happen.
Equally important will be finding guys that are not only talented, but are contributing to a culture that needs repair after last season. Not having a first round selection might dull the buzz at your draft parties. Andrew Berry citing great "character" may not be a key ingredient to an all-night bash. Fans, along with the organization, should be well past the point of one night in April being the only cause for celebration. These should be the "problems" that we encounter moving forward.
Cheers.
