Browns 1st and Goal Report: No. 2 draft pick conversation

The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 2 overall draft pick in this year’s NFL Draft beginning on April 24th. That fact has Browns fans debating what to do with the pick. Do you take a player or trade down? We’ve also begun talking “bridge” quarterbacks, watching the city of Cleveland battle the Haslems, and started our fury of mock draft simulations. That’s all in this week’s edition of the “1st and Goal Report.”

1st and goal: Oh what to do with the No. 2 pick?

There’s been a lot of chatter this past week on what to do with the Brown’s No.2 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft in April. With the news that Deshaun Watson retore his Achilles a few weeks ago, the team needs to figure out what they are going to do at quarterback next season. 

Part of that decision will fall on how they use the No. 2 pick. There are two top quarterbacks in the draft: Cam Ward from Miami and Shedeur Sanders from Colorado. While some have argued that the talent of these two isn’t what it’s been in the past with previous graduating classes, both are still very talented. 

If Cleveland does pass on either of these quarterbacks, do they have another top player in mind? Maybe it’s cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado or defensive end Abdul Carter from Penn State? They may be able to trade down and still get one of these players.

We have plenty of time to debate this topic so buckle up Browns fans.

 

2nd and goal: Who could be that “bridge” quarterback”? 

If the Browns take a quarterback at No. 2 that will probably have a bearing on whether they get a ‘bridge” quarterback to get them through the 2025 season. There are plenty of candidates to be that guy. Most notably Kirk Cousins name has come up in numerous conversations. Cousins would have to force a release by his current team the Atlanta Falcons to become a free agent and then Cleveland could sign him this offseason.

Cousins was coached by the Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski when Cousins was the quarterback and Stefanski was the quarterbacks coach with the Minnesota Vikings.

Cousins has had a successful 13-year career in the league. When he played for the Vikings he had over 23,000 passing yards, 171 touchdowns, and only 55 interceptions over six seasons. 

There are many other free-agent quarterbacks available this offseason if the Cousins plan doesn’t pan out. Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson, Marcus Mariota, Jacoby Brissett, Joe Flacco, Justin Fields and Jameis Winston are just some notable players available. 

 

 3rd and goal: The city of Cleveland is playing hardball

The city of Cleveland continues to try and block the Browns from moving down to the suburb of Brookpark where the team’s owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam plan on building a domed stadium. The Haslam’s have already publicly said that they would pay most of the $2.4 billion price tag but the city continues to fight to keep them from leaving the Lake Erie lakefront after the 2028 season when the lease on the current Browns stadium is up. 

The city has had decades to upgrade the shoreline and beautify the area around the current stadium but they haven’t acted on many potential opportunities in the past. The city says they are concerned with what would happen to the downtown area if the Browns were to move to the suburbs. 

This battle doesn’t seem to be going anywhere fast so stay tuned. 

 

4th and goal: An early Browns mock draft projection

Here is my early Browns mock draft projections on the team’s first three rounds

1st Round

Pick No. 2: Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado

2nd Round

Pick 33: Jihaad Campbell, LB Alabama

3rd Round

Pick 67: TreVeyon Henderson, RB Ohio State

Pick 93: Shemer Turner, DT, Texas A&M