Browns smartest NFL Draft decision doesn’t involve using No. 2 pick at all

The Cleveland Browns have a lot of decisions to make before April’s NFL Draft. Perhaps the biggest decision is what to do with the No. 2 pick.

Thanks to a miserable season that saw way too many quarterbacks spiral into the same whirlpool of hell of past Browns quarterbacks, Cleveland was rewarded with a pick that could have franchise-altering moves. 

That means they could use that pick for a franchise cornerstone – whoever they deem to have that quality. Or they could leverage that pick for a team so desperate to take a gamble on Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, they’d give them an abundance of picks in return for the No. 2 pick.

And that honestly might be the best option for the Browns. Using that pick could yield an instant game-changer like Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. Either player could help a depleted Browns roster. 

They may have more incentive, though, to trade that pick away. That pick holds a lot of value, especially to a team that could fix their quarterback answer, but won too many games. Let’s dive into what the Browns should do with the all valuable No. 2 pick. 

The Cleveland Browns No. 2 overall pick has enough value to consider trading it away for a later pick

The Browns should seriously entertain the idea of trading back and using that pick to haul in several more over the three days of the draft or next year. Yes, they need a quarterback. But Sanders and Ward aren’t exactly ready to change the Browns trajectory. 

Cleveland needs a veteran quarterback. They were able to get the most out of Jameis Winston and Joe Flacco respectively, during their time in Cleveland. I’d take that risk on another bridge veteran. Using that on a rookie would effectively send Myles Garrett out the door. He’s the biggest outlier of all this because he made it clear to the front office he’s done with the losing seasons. Drafting a rookie quarterback does not give him or even fans for that matter, the confidence this team is headed in a winning direction. 

The Raiders seem like the most obvious choice to flip that pick too. They could answer their quarterback prayers and the Browns could still get a solid pick at No. 6. The New York Jets are another team that might be interested in overpaying for that pick too. 

There’s teams out there interested enough that the Browns could have a big haul for the No. 2 pick. It could work out even better than drafting a player too. The Browns are in a position right now where rookies in important positions aren’t going to help. 

I hate to say it, but the Browns are approaching win-now territory. They need to start making real GM moves that make them more of a contender. Because it could not only cost them a wasted pick, but one of the best players to ever play for the franchise.