3 NFL Draft prospects the Browns should avoid

1. Rashod Bateman

The first two players on this list project to be poor potential selections for the Browns because they don’t have the talent to merit going off the board at No. 23. That’s not an issue for Bateman. He could easily be the best player available for Cleveland if he slips that far in Round 1.

The Browns must pass on the temptation of stopping his slide because wide receiver just isn’t a big enough need. This team still has big money invested in both Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry heading into 2021. Future-proofing the wide receiver position can be a valuable strategy for Cleveland, but they possess too many other profound roster needs to justify executing that strategy on Day 1.

If Bateman does fall to them at No. 23, their front office needs to engineer a trade that takes advantage of another team’s need for a potential No. 1 wide receiver. In years past, the Browns would have lacked the franchise maturity required to pass on such a tantalizing skill player. The new regime in Cleveland should have the maturity to capitalize on a potential Bateman slide in a slightly unconventional manner.

For the record, this is a close call. The chance to get a wideout who projects as a potential No. 1 at this juncture in the draft represents outstanding value in a vacuum. It’s just the wrong opportunity for Cleveland to pounce on given their other needs. Wide receiver shouldn’t be the position addressed at No. 23 under any circumstances.