The 2020 NFL Draft is less than 30 days away. What will new Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry and his crew do in the draft?
One of the possibilities is to trade their pick in the first round. If the Browns want to move out of the No. 10 overall spot, they should have some options. They would likely have little trouble moving up to target a specific high-level talent, while trading back to acquire an extra pick or two certainly holds appeal as well.
We try to keep it real here at Browns Wire, so we’ll lead with this right off the bat: these are ideas, not predictions or reports of “the Browns and Team X are talking about a trade”. While the Browns almost certainly are talking to other teams about laying the groundwork for potential deals on draft weekend, it’s way too early to know any specifics.
In the spirit of offering ideas to new GM Andrew Berry, here are four trade possibilities for the Browns to explore in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Trade up with the Panthers for Jedrick Wills
In order to guarantee the Browns land the gifted Alabama offensive tackle, they need to trade up ahead of other OL-needy teams. The New York Giants at No. 4 overall are the most likely team to start selecting tackles (they’ve been linked to Louisville’s Mekhi Becton for several weeks), but the Chargers at No. 6 and the Cardinals at No. 8 are definitely candidates as well.
Jumping to four with the Giants would cost quite a bit. A more reasonable move would be to jump to No. 7 and land in front of the Cardinals. That would likely cost a third-round pick this year and another pick in 2021. The team at No. 7 is Carolina, which appears to be undergoing a radical overhaul and could use extra picks to expedite the rebuild.
The Browns happen to have an extra third-rounder this year from the Duke Johnson trade to the Texans. What better way to use it than to invest in making the Cleveland run game and offensive line better?
Deal No. 10 to Miami for No. 18 and No. 26
Miami has three first-round picks, the first of which is at No. 5. It’s widely presumed they will use that first pick on a quarterback, either Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert.
The Dolphins have a major need — even direr than the Browns — at offensive tackle. Their current starting left tackle is Julien Davenport, who could not beat out Browns backup OT Kendall Lamm when both were in Houston.
If Miami wants to ensure they get the tackle of their choosing and not lose the game of premium OT musical chairs, the Browns make a natural trade partner. The Jets at 11 are also in major need of a tackle, as are the Buccaneers at 14. Giving up the two later first-round picks should be enough to pry the No. 10 pick from the Browns.
Of course that would leave the Browns in real peril of landing one of the top tackles. But with No. 18 and No. 26, they are more likely to land a premium safety or cornerback, both of which remain long-term needs despite some free agent moves. Falling back and picking up the extra selection in the mid-20s also brings the second tier of pass rushers (A.J. Epenesa, Yetur Gross-Matos) into a more value-appropriate range.
Move up to rescue a falling Jeff Okudah
The Ohio State cornerback is almost universally recognized as the top player at his position in this class, and generally regarded as a better prospect than his Buckeyes predecessor and Browns Pro Bowler, Denzel Ward.
Okudah is the most popular projection — by far — to the Detroit Lions at No. 3 overall. But if the Lions go in a different direction or trade back themselves, Okudah could fall.
In that hypothetical situation, the Browns could pounce. Berry’s aggressive pursuit of acquiring talent could land the team Okudah and create arguably the best young CB tandem in the NFL with Ward. It would cost the team the No. 10 pick and likely the higher third-round pick to move up to the No. 5-No. 7 overall range to snag Okudah.
Trade next year’s first-rounder to jump back in for a second choice in 2020
Moving up from No. 41 overall in the second round back into the first round would require Berry and the Browns to have a very specific player in their sights. It would need to be an impact talent who clearly wouldn’t last the extra 10-15 picks to that second Cleveland slot.
The price tag would be expensive. Nearly every trade from outside the first round back up into the first requires at least a first in the following year. It’s something of an all-in move, getting the 2021 first-rounder one year earlier. It would likely cost the Browns either that No. 41 pick or a third-rounder this year as well.
It’s too early to know who the Browns would target in such a move, but here’s one I would consider if I were Berry: TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney. That presumes taking an offensive tackle at No. 10, of course. Gladney would make an excellent fit in Cleveland, capable of playing outside but fitting well in the slot.
