NFL Mock Draft: Browns pull off shocking trade for offensive play-maker

In each of the past two seasons, the Cleveland Browns have swung trades that brought in veteran players to round out their roster. They added Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper in 2022 and then in 2023, it was Elijah Moore and Za'Darius Smith. General manager Andrew Berry showed no hesitation when making these moves, which left them without a pick in Round 1 or Round 2 for the past two years.

Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, they're still without a pick on day one thanks to the Watson trade but do still have their top pick in Round 2, which is No. 55 overall. In this mock, however, they get aggressive and send that pick along with their third-rounder to the New England Patriots for the 34th overall selection. New England, who is about to rebuild, can use the extra picks while the Browns can land a potential game-changer on offense.

Round 2, Pick 34: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

Trading down is never fun for fans but Cleveland has been able to land talented players despite dropping down. Now ready to take their next step, they decide it's worth skipping out on a Round 3 pick this year to ensure they get a player capable of developing into the WR1 of the future.

Troy Franklin was a star for the Oregon Ducks, going off in 2023 with 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has excellent height at 6-foot-3 and averaged more than 17 yards per reception during his final season in Eugene. During that campaign, he made huge strides as a route-runner but it still known for taking the top off a defense. He's also incredibly dangerous after the catch.

Cleveland saw how explosive Deshaun Watson can be when taking deep shots and adding another player capable of scoring from anywhere on the field could be the missing piece for this offense. It will be tough to sit around without a pick for the next couple of rounds but at least they landed a first-round talent with this bold move.