In order for the Cleveland Browns to ensure they get the quarterback they want, they may need to trade with the Buffalo Bills.
With the Cleveland Browns having picked Myles Garrett in every sense except physically handing in the card, the focus turns to the 12th pick and quarterback. Beyond determining which quarterback they want, they have to decide where they feel they need to be in order to get them.
The issue for the Browns isn't just who picks in front of them, which includes the Chicago Bears at three, who appeared to be locked in to select Deshaun Watson from Clemson; the New York Jets at six, who may really like Mitchell Trubisky from North Carolina; and finally the New Orleans Saints, who currently have two first round picks, and are sniffing around Watson, Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes from Texas Tech.
The other potential problem the Browns have is who is picking behind them. The Arizona Cardinals are picking 13th and currently have Carson Palmer, who appeared to be running on fumes last year. He's back this year, but along with losing a number of players to free agency, they have to look to the future.
They don't necessarily have to take a quarterback in the first round, but if they love a quarterback, they may look to leapfrog the Browns to grab their guy. Trubisky or Mahomes may be appealing to Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians.
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Enter the Buffalo Bills. The Bills own the tenth pick of the draft and they could take a quarterback themselves but they opted to retain Tyrod Taylor. Rather than run out and try to draft his replacement, especially when they keep claiming they love Cardale Jones, it seems more likely to try to add another weapon to improve the situation. In the event they move on from Taylor, the next quarterback, Jones or otherwise, will hopefully steps into a situation conducive to success.
Sammy Watkins keeps dealing with injuries, having missed 11 games the past two seasons. The rest of their depth chart at receiver is nondescript now having lost Robert Woods to free agency. The tight end position faces the same problem with Charles Clay, who was lauded as a free agency coup, but has missed four games in his two seasons there. Both Watkins and Clay are productive when they are on the field, but the options are limited if they aren't.
The dream scenario for the Bills appears to be O.J. Howard, the tight end from Alabama. It would give them a weapon for Taylor and add to their running game, helping LeSean McCoy churn out more yards for their offense, since Howard is a terrific blocker. They could have Howard and Clay attack the middle of the field and flats while Watkins attacks opponents outside the hashes and deep. If Howard is there, the Bills are unlikely to hesitate and will make him their pick.
Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end O.J. Howard (88) makes a move on Washington Huskies defensive back Sidney Jones (26) after a catch during the fourth quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal at the Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Washington 24-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
In the event Howard is gone, which seems increasingly likely, they may still want to add a weapon but there's less of a rush. It's possible that the Bills may have wide receivers Corey Davis from Western Michigan, Mike Williams from Clemson and John Ross from Washington all sitting there for them to possibly take.
So if Howard is gone, the Bills may really look to add a receiver, but could look to additional draft capital at the same time. Whether it's a deal from the Browns or Cardinals, the Bills could stand to add a third or fourth round pick.
The Bills currently have six picks and don't have a pick in the fourth round, so they might really like to add another mid round pick to help add talent and not leave them in limbo for 64 picks during the middle of the draft. The Browns own the 108th pick, which is the first pick of Round 4. That would fill the hole in the Bills' draft pretty nicely. If he's reinstated at that point, they could throw in Josh Gordon and the Bills could see if he can find consistent success there in a way he never has for the Browns.
The Bills get an extra pick in a spot they could really use, the receiver of their choice and a low risk, high reward player in Gordon. They completely revamp their weaponry and at least on paper, are as dangerous as maybe any team in the league. The Browns, on the other hand, get the quarterback they so desperately need while boxing out the Cardinals and jumping in front of the Jets and officially move on from Gordon.
Certainly, the Browns could make a more ambitious leap, going all the way up to the fifth pick of the draft with the Tennessee Titans to get in front of the Jets, but that may be too expensive for them as well as unnecessary. The 10th pick would still likely secure the quarterback they want and allow them to keep the vast majority of their draft picks in tow, which they need to add talent.
It's possible that the Saints and Cardinals really aren't interested in grabbing a quarterback in the first round and may opt to grab options later in the draft, leaving the Browns to grab the quarterback they want at twelve and keeping all the of their picks. Nevertheless, swapping with Buffalo could give them peace of mind to ensure they get their chosen quarterback and not lose their shirt in the process.
The Cleveland Browns have a huge opportunity in this draft class. They can get the best player in the entire draft in Myles Garrett and potentially get the quarterback of their choice. Considering how they passed on Carson Wentz last year, opting to trade down and add assets, they could get their quarterback and room to spare in the form of picks. Swapping picks with the Bills might not only be the most sensible option for the Browns to get their quarterback, but is the type of deal for which this front office is increasingly becoming known.
