Cleveland Browns: The 2016 Draft is the most important since 1999
The Cleveland Browns front office cannot afford another slew of bad draft picks this time around.
The 2016 NFL Draft is only a day away and the Cleveland Browns currently hold the No. 8 pick in the first round.
Reports have stated the Browns may move down from that No. 8 spot, but that remains to be seen. The mock drafts have been ongoing since the before the new year, but all those will fade away in significance once the weekend is over.
We can all say who the Browns should take, and argue with those who disagree with us, but all that matters at this point is what the members of the front office decide to do.
The last two sentences make obvious points, but this current front office has the most significant task of any group in similar positions since the Browns came back to Cleveland for the 1999 season.
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The reincarnation of the franchise was an expansion team, which gave the new Browns an unsteady foundation from the start. The goal of any professional sports team is to rise from the bottom of the standings to the top through drafting well and developing the chosen players, but the Browns have shown that to be an impossible task since 1999.
The front office in place right now cannot afford to make the same mistakes. It is just not an option.
When those in power selected busts in the past, there was still enough talent on the team to ensure some success on the field. That will not be the case in 2016 if some talent is not acquired through the draft.
With the departures of Travis Benjamin, Alex Mack, Mitchell Schwartz, Tashaun Gipson, Donte Whitner and Karlos Dansby, (wow, that was painful to type), the Browns are in danger of not winning a game in 2016. Adding players who cannot contribute at all will waste roster spots and lead Browns fans to looking forward to the 2017 draft before Halloween is upon us.
Joe Thomas is the best player the Browns have right now, but one offensive lineman can do little to help the mess that is the Browns roster.
There is even the chance Thomas is traded on draft night, but that seems unlikely after losing both Mack and Schwartz in free agency.
A player like Joe Thomas is exactly who the Browns need in this year’s draft. The team needs a player who can be built around. This is not always the flashiest player or the one who is going to command all the attention on the field, but one who is going to be recognized as one of the top at his position in the NFL.
That kind of draft pick is the one that makes the difference between a playoff team and a team like the Browns.
A player who can change the team’s fortunes may be found in the later rounds, but the Browns must get it right with the first round pick, like when Thomas was selected third overall in 2007.
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The front office must be wary of taking a high-profile playmaker, like an Ezekiel Elliot, who carries just as much potential risk as reward.
Who should the Browns take? The power of hindsight will determine that in about eight months.