The 10 biggest what-ifs in Cleveland Browns history

5. What if the Browns took Saquon Barkley and Josh Allen in 2018?

What if the Cleveland Browns hadn't fallen for the Baker Mayfield hype in 2018? What if they had gone a little crazy and taken Saquon Barkley with the 1st overall pick and Josh Allen with the 4th overall pick?

It isn't just an idea that is being presented in hindsight. It is actually an idea DPD legend Randy Gurzi had thought of almost two months before the 2018 NFL Draft. The idea also pre-dates Nick Chubb being with the Browns, but it certainly had some merit at the time.

The Browns could have taken from the model the Dallas Cowboys had shown at the time, which was one leaning on Ezekiel Elliott and the running game while Dak Prescott developed. The Browns got part of the equation right in that NFL Draft anyway. And they didn't take a bad player, by any means, when they got Denzel Ward.

But even after an exciting rookie season, Baker Mayfield didn't turn out to be the long-term option the Browns hoped he would be. Josh Allen was a wild card coming out of that draft, but there were rumors leading all the way up to the day of the draft that Cleveland could take Allen first overall. They didn't. Nor did they take Barkley. But imagine if they had taken Allen first and still took Nick Chubb in round two?

It's no guarantee that Allen would have still developed the way he has, but you'd certainly like the chance to take that risk all over again.