Cleveland Browns: Formulating a lucrative offer for Garoppolo, Butler
By Andrew Seibt
The Cleveland Browns have accumulated a nice stash of draft capital and think they could use it to acquire established talent at positions of need.
Heading into the offseason, most people expected the Cleveland Browns to be the landing spot for New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. And as of today, it seems like the Patriots are unwilling to move the Eastern Illinois product because he is Tom Brady‘s heir apparent.
I can’t speak to the Patriots’ true intentions or beliefs in Garoppolo or if the Browns have even made an offer to the Patriots, but for the sake of this article let’s pretend that the Browns haven’t made a formal offer for the quarterback.
So why don’t they take a stab at prying both Garoppolo AND unhappy cornerback Malcolm Butler?
It fits the Browns’ M.O. of turning draft capital into established players, (Jamie Collins, Jamar Taylor) and lands you a quarterback that is a Day 1 starter, as well as a solid cornerback opposite Joe Haden to improve the dismal 2016 secondary. The Browns have the cap space to accommodate Butler’s new contract demands, and then some.
If I told you the Browns could get those two players and still have picks No. 1 and No. 12 in 2017, would you do it? I propose the Browns give the Patriots all five of their second round picks the next two years.
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The Patriots were already looking to unload Butler to the Saints for pick No. 32, so what’s to say a few second-rounders wouldn’t spark their interest? And for Garoppolo? Maybe one second-rounder doesn’t do it, but three might.
Five selections in the second round is a lot to give up for a quarterback with two starts and a solid cornerback. Like, a lot. But three of those picks were acquired for opportunities (or hypothetical trade proposals) exactly like this.
Having Myles Garrett and the No. 12 selection will (hopefully) provide this team with impact players right now. Imagine if they got their franchise guy AND a solid cornerback in addition to the rookies.
This move is a little unconventional, but some of the things the Browns have done this offseason have been unconventional. Maybe this trade is too unrealistic and I’ve been playing far too much franchise mode in Madden, I don’t know.
Next: DeShone Kizer draft profile
Regardless, this is unlikely to happen because Bill Barnwell hasn’t written anything about this scenario (yet), but it’s something I’d be willing to do given the needs at both quarterback and cornerback.