There has been plenty of discussion regarding exactly what the Cleveland Browns will do when it is time for them to turn in their selection for the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Most have campaigned for the Browns to select one of the two quarterbacks expected to go early, but their best path forward may be an entirely different approach.
Should the Browns decide to pass on selecting what some have described as the best overall player in this draft in Penn State's Abdul Carter, the choice is simple, albeit an unexciting one. Trade down, but with a certain caveat. Prioritize picks in the middle rounds of this draft in addition to the future first round pick they would get from trading down.
Browns need to consider trading down in draft
Under usual circumstances, trading down from the second overall pick is a idea that does not deserve much consideration. A top five pick gives teams an opportunity to bring in a franchise altering blue chip player, but when it comes to this particular draft, the volume of blue chip players is lacking as this draft is not considered to be one with a ton of high-end talent.
Instead, the part of the draft that is expected to be the deepest and will provide the best value selections is the middle rounds. This is why focusing on this area via their trade down process is an absolute must should they shy away from drafting Carter, one of this draft's few blue chip players.
There is another way for the Browns to use any of their newly acquired picks in this scenario, and it is one of the few ways that general manager Andrew Berry has been successful in during his time in Cleveland.
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These picks could be used to acquire existing NFL players on expiring deals that other teams can not afford to extend. Berry has done this multiple times as Cleveland's GM, and it would not be a surprise to see him again use this tactic to help bolster a Browns roster in need of talent.
Even though this is not necessarily the most exciting suggestion as to what the Browns could do in the draft, they would be better off taking this approach rather than forcing a quarterback into the mix or any other non-Carter selection, for that matter.
Being able to acquire multiple players that can simultaneously be upgrades over the handful of players that do not belong on their roster while also raising the team's talent floor would help surround the team's best players with adequate complementary pieces.
One final point in support of this approach that needs to be mentioned here is that the Browns are not going to be a good team this year no matter what they do in the draft. There are holes all over this roster and those that do not have holes are occupied by aging and expensive veterans.
Instead of acting in desperation, the Browns would be better off in the long term by solidifying their foundation by using this process.
The important thing to keep in mind is that the difference between bad teams and good teams is limiting the amount of snaps played by low-quality players. There are times when a team with a few star players can live in the average to good range, but failing to adequately build up the roster around them results in achieving nothing of note and ultimately becoming forgotten.
If the Browns want to avoid joining this group of teams, they will get off the path they are currently on and start building the team properly for once. It will take some time, but then, and only then, will the Browns actually be able to perform at the consistently high level that people have erroneously thought they were capable of over the past few seasons.