The Cleveland Browns hold serious draft capital in 2017, with the top pick and the No. 12 pick in the first round. They acquired the latter pick from the Philadelphia Eagles in a move that also netted them a second round pick in 2018. They also hold a pair of second round picks this year thanks to moving down further in a deal with the Tennessee Titans.
Having those kinds of day one and day two draft picks puts the Browns in position to do virtually anything they want on the draft board. Browns ESPN writer Pat McManamon decided to run with that and came up with a big trade suggestion. This is entirely just a though exercise by the writer; there are no rumors of such a trade.
The author suggests the Browns attempt to move up from No. 12 in the first round to No. 2 or 3. The idea is that the Browns have the capital to move up and could lock up arguably the two best players on their overall draft board. Maybe they stack on defense with Myles Garrett and Jonathan Allen. Or maybe they draft Garrett and a quarterback. I personally think they could wait on a quarterback at No. 12, but they have options.
The Browns would have to wait until draft day to know what is available at the Bears No. 3 pick, but the No. 2 pick could be dealt anytime between now and draft day. He suggested a potential deal that sends the San Francisco 49ers second overall pick to the Browns in exchange for the No. 12 pick, the No. 33 overall pick at the top of the second round, the second round pick Cleveland acquired from Tennessee (No. 52 overall), and the 2018 second round pick Cleveland acquired from Philadelphia.
The author used the traditional draft trade value chart. People will find different values depending on their trade value chart, but for purposes of this purely hypothetical discussion, it is a good starting point.
There are a lot of questions about the talent at the top of the draft board. On the one hand, it makes sense to try and trade down. On the other hand, if other teams agree that there is not a sure-fire thing, they will push back on trade talks. I suppose my thought is you hope someone is particularly high on a quarterback or Jonathan Allen. Maybe then the 49ers would have at least a little leverage in trade talks.
Would you do a deal like this if the Browns presented it? The Browns and Titans are the two teams that would have the best chance to make this kind of move. Any other team would likely require more 2018 picks in any kind of deal. What would it take for you to make a move down? Or do you think there is a player so clearly worth taking at No. 2 that it would have to be the proverbial Godfather offer?