AFC North got a whole lot tougher for Browns after NFL Draft

Baltimore Ravens

Before any picks were made in the 2023 NFL Draft, Baltimore made arguably the biggest move of the offseason by inking quarterback Lamar Jackson to a new massive five-year, $260 million deal with $185 million fully guaranteed.

This was the biggest area of "concern" for the Ravens this offseason and now the Browns will have to battle against Jackson twice a year for the foreseeable future.

Baltimore went out and got their franchise quarterback another weapon when they drafted wide receiver Zay Flowers out of Boston College with the 22nd pick. He will be primarily a slot guy that will make this offense better. He'll join a receiving room with Rashod Bateman and former Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who was signed in free agency, along with tight end Mark Andrews.

On the other side of the ball, the Ravens drafted linebacker Trenton Simpson out of Clemson with the 86th pick. The Browns had serious interest in Simpson and could have drafted him at 7, but elected to give Deshaun Watson another weapon in wide receiver Cedric Tillman.

Simpson could come in and compete with Patrick Queen for a starting position or play alongside him. Cleveland will get to see if they made a mistake by not drafting him live and in living color.

The Ravens sent a 2024 sixth-round pick to the Browns for their 2023 seventh-round pick. With said pick they drafted offensive guard Andrew Vorhees out of USC, who will likely have a "redshirt season" as he tore his ACL at the NFL Scouting Combine. He is a stash player that can haunt the Browns down the road if he can develop after injury.