The Cleveland Browns own the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after an abysmal 2024 regular season that saw them finish with a 3-14 record. The Browns have plenty of needs and while quarterback is one of them, other teams might be more desperate than them to move into the second spot to ensure they get Shedeur Sanders.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report proposed a trade that would involve the Browns swapping first-round picks with the New Orleans Saints while also collecting a third-round pick in this year's draft and the Saints' first-rounder next year. This could make a ton of sense for Cleveland.
If the Browns aren't interested in taking Sanders second overall and another team is desperate enough to do so, why not move down and add more draft picks? If they swapped spots with the Saints, it'd ensure that Sanders goes to a different conference and that the Browns add a few more draft picks to their arsenal over the next two years.
Browns trading down in first round makes perfect sense
This would mean that the Browns wouldn't have a shot at taking either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter but it would net them an extra first-round pick for the 2026 draft where they could hopefully load up on some talented prospects. They could still find a good player at a position of need with the Saints' ninth overall pick and would have some draft capital to work with in the future.
This will all come down to how the Browns truly view Sanders and the other top prospects. If they want to add a pass-rushing phenom like Carter, then perhaps they stay put and plan to pair him with Myles Garrett (what a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks). If they think there's more in it for them by trading down, then no one would blame them for doing so.
If the Browns added an extra third-round pick in this year's draft and a first-rounder in next year's draft, that'd be a big win for them on draft night. Hopefully they could make those picks count.