Cleveland Browns should draft a wide receiver at some point in the NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns selected four wide receivers in the 2016 NFL Draft, but taking another in 2017 could help replace the absence of Terrelle Pryor.

The Cleveland Browns seemed to be set at the wide receiver position after the conclusion of the 2016 NFL Draft. Four receivers were drafted, which included a first-round pick spent on Corey Coleman.

But cut to today and things are different. The team just lost its best receiver in Terrelle Pryor. The four draftees still remain, but only Coleman showed any promise a season ago. Add in Kenny Britt and what seemed to be a promising bunch has gone back to being simply mediocre.

Losing Pryor was tough, but the plan may be to go after a receiver or two in this year’s draft for much cheaper. That won’t happen with the No. 1 overall pick, as Myles Garrett is coming to Cleveland barring any unforeseen problems, but the Browns could target a receiver at No. 12.

The top option right now would be Clemson’s Mike Williams, who went No. 10 overall to the Buffalo Bills in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft.

Even if the Bills plan to take him at No. 10, the Browns could always trade up two spots without having to spend too much. However, that would probably not happen given the talent all over the board in the first 12 picks.

Another option is trading back a few picks to take someone like John Ross, but once again, that would mean potentially passing on a quarterback or even another elite defender to pair with Garrett.

So with Williams potentially not making it to No. 12, the more likely solution will be to take receivers later in the draft, as the team did last year. That, or simply go with the talent in town and see if players like Rashard Higgins, Ricardo Louis and Jordan Payton could improve in their second seasons.

It seems fair to expect the team at least brings in one new face at receiver, just to establish some competition after the departures of both Pryor and Andrew Hawkins. If not, the Browns may have to focus on the position once again in the 2018 NFL Draft, two years after the problems with the position were supposed to be solved.

Next: Browns settling for Osweiler in 2017?

With 11 selections, it wouldn’t be too crazy for the Browns to spend one on a receiver. Fans may not want it to happen in the first round, but it would be hard to pass on Mike Williams at No. 12 if he is available and it is clear they can grab a quarterback later on. That is, if there are even plans to select a quarterback this year.