Draft so you can win more games
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What is it that you want your football team to do? Win more games, right?
The reason the team practices in the offseason, training camp, pre season, and the regular season is to be better able to win games.
The Draft (and FA) should be a function that supports that effort. What can we do on draft weekend that helps the team to be able to win more games?
Here's my view of drafting BPA (best player available): Why even send anyone to the draft site? Just set up your draft Big Board. Give each player a number value, feed that information into the computer and the computer will spit out the BPA for you each time it's your turn to pick. Integrate your computer to the NFL draft system. Boom! You're Done! Berry & Co. can take the wives out to dinner on Thursday night, go bowling Friday night and spend Saturday on the golf course.
No! I want the best player available that can help my team win freakin' football games. And I think that this year highlights my view. There may be a defensive player available to us at pick #6 who ranks higher on our board than anyone else available. To me, (for our team) drafting a defense player for a top 5 defense is drafting for statistics. It won't improve the team's ability to win more games. It's the offensive line & the wide receiver positions that are abysmal and are keeping us from winning. Perhaps if those two positions weren't in the horrid shape they're in but just needed some bit of improvement, then you could take the defender that you think might become an exceptional player. But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury. (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
And that strategy should be used throughout the draft. Let's face it, when a team trades up in the draft, they're targeting a player that they have a need for. They're not trading up to a spot so their computer can pick whomever it is the 'puter has ranked highest at that time.
- That's my view on drafting players. Thanks for taking the time to read.
I don't think any team simply drafts by some draft guide. Player fit is always going to be taken in to account. That said, you don't want to reach too far down the list. That is stupid and leads to an inferior team. You trade back.
Drafting for need becomes easier the further you drop in the draft. In any draft there are usually 5-10 guys who clearly stand above the rest. After that players usually start to group up evaluation wise which gives the team more options to fill a need and get a player with a similar value.
The ideal is FA is where you select for needs and hope you get an adequate player to fill for a few years and you draft the best players you can for the future.
I don't think any team simply drafts by some draft guide. Player fit is always going to be taken in to account. That said, you don't want to reach too far down the list. That is stupid and leads to an inferior team. You trade back.
Drafting for need becomes easier the further you drop in the draft. In any draft there are usually 5-10 guys who clearly stand above the rest. After that players usually start to group up evaluation wise which gives the team more options to fill a need and get a player with a similar value.
The ideal is FA is where you select for needs and hope you get an adequate player to fill for a few years and you draft the best players you can for the future.
I agree 100%.
-
What is it that you want your football team to do? Win more games, right?
The reason the team practices in the offseason, training camp, pre season, and the regular season is to be better able to win games.
The Draft (and FA) should be a function that supports that effort. What can we do on draft weekend that helps the team to be able to win more games?
Here's my view of drafting BPA (best player available): Why even send anyone to the draft site? Just set up your draft Big Board. Give each player a number value, feed that information into the computer and the computer will spit out the BPA for you each time it's your turn to pick. Integrate your computer to the NFL draft system. Boom! You're Done! Berry & Co. can take the wives out to dinner on Thursday night, go bowling Friday night and spend Saturday on the golf course.
No! I want the best player available that can help my team win freakin' football games. And I think that this year highlights my view. There may be a defensive player available to us at pick #6 who ranks higher on our board than anyone else available. To me, (for our team) drafting a defense player for a top 5 defense is drafting for statistics. It won't improve the team's ability to win more games. It's the offensive line & the wide receiver positions that are abysmal and are keeping us from winning. Perhaps if those two positions weren't in the horrid shape they're in but just needed some bit of improvement, then you could take the defender that you think might become an exceptional player. But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury. (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
And that strategy should be used throughout the draft. Let's face it, when a team trades up in the draft, they're targeting a player that they have a need for. They're not trading up to a spot so their computer can pick whomever it is the 'puter has ranked highest at that time.
- That's my view on drafting players. Thanks for taking the time to read.
I don't think any team simply drafts by some draft guide. Player fit is always going to be taken in to account. That said, you don't want to reach too far down the list. That is stupid and leads to an inferior team. You trade back.
Drafting for need becomes easier the further you drop in the draft. In any draft there are usually 5-10 guys who clearly stand above the rest. After that players usually start to group up evaluation wise which gives the team more options to fill a need and get a player with a similar value.
The ideal is FA is where you select for needs and hope you get an adequate player to fill for a few years and you draft the best players you can for the future.
You trade back.
Drafting for need becomes easier the further you drop in the draft.
I think these two points are a philosophy of AB, and it's not produced results. It's a pretty big reason why our special teams have been below par.
They've traded back & stockpiled 4th & 5th rounders and not many have hit. Those late round picks should help bolster kick coverage and back up LBs, CBs
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No matter what round you draft a player, it helps to pick the right guys.
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March 9-11 free agency time with signing ability starting 4pm Eastern March 11. Get OL and WR addressed right then so we can go the BPA route in the draft. Otherwise you have rookies in the OL and we all saw what happened with NE against a superior Seattle DL. It was no contest. If I had to choose which I'd like to see most in FA, it would be the OL. There are some damn good WRs in this year's draft. But without an OL they are worthless.
If I had to choose which I'd like to see most in FA, it would be the OL.
SORRY Dawgs! Can't find anywhere else to put this
We might have a updated version come Monday... Joel Bitonio ?
Decision day for the Cleveland Browns and Joel Bitonio looms, on the 16th of February (Monday) his contract is set to void which means he will become a free agent.
This will lock in a dead cap charge of $23,504,000 for the 2026 season that cannot be changed in anyway. They have options to change this but that needs to be decided before the 16th of Feb.
Browns have three different options to stop a dead cap charge of $23.5m being locked in for the 2026 season:
- They extend JB (a 1 year Franchise Tag ?)
- JB retires
- Moving the voiding date back---(Likely to happen/announce by Monday).>>
What could happen is an amendment to the contract which pushes the voiding date on the deal back. So rather than the 16th of February his contract voids it could move back to another date. March 10th to 13th are common dates for contracts voiding as it is all around the time of free agency. Also over a month prior to the NFL Draft
This poster, hopes JB's got 1 farewell tour season left ! Good Luck Joel Bitonio !
stay tuned.. we could win more games !
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I get what you are saying Orion, but allow me to retort regarding your "draft the player who can help you win now" argument.
Remember when Butch Davis was hanging on by a thread here and drafted Kellen Winslow II in the first round? He did this in an attempt to find the player who could help the Browns win now.
As they had a 35 year old Jeff Garcia as their starting QB, and they passed on Ben Roethlisberger.
-
What is it that you want your football team to do? Win more games, right?
The reason the team practices in the offseason, training camp, pre season, and the regular season is to be better able to win games.
The Draft (and FA) should be a function that supports that effort. What can we do on draft weekend that helps the team to be able to win more games?
Here's my view of drafting BPA (best player available): Why even send anyone to the draft site? Just set up your draft Big Board. Give each player a number value, feed that information into the computer and the computer will spit out the BPA for you each time it's your turn to pick. Integrate your computer to the NFL draft system. Boom! You're Done! Berry & Co. can take the wives out to dinner on Thursday night, go bowling Friday night and spend Saturday on the golf course.
No! I want the best player available that can help my team win freakin' football games. And I think that this year highlights my view. There may be a defensive player available to us at pick #6 who ranks higher on our board than anyone else available. To me, (for our team) drafting a defense player for a top 5 defense is drafting for statistics. It won't improve the team's ability to win more games. It's the offensive line & the wide receiver positions that are abysmal and are keeping us from winning. Perhaps if those two positions weren't in the horrid shape they're in but just needed some bit of improvement, then you could take the defender that you think might become an exceptional player. But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury. (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
And that strategy should be used throughout the draft. Let's face it, when a team trades up in the draft, they're targeting a player that they have a need for. They're not trading up to a spot so their computer can pick whomever it is the 'puter has ranked highest at that time.
- That's my view on drafting players. Thanks for taking the time to read.
a) But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury.
b.) (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
unfair question?
Which is it?
Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love or Caleb Downs may not be HOF caliber?
It's why we play this great game !
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I get what you are saying Orion, but allow me to retort regarding your "draft the player who can help you win now" argument.
Remember when Butch Davis was hanging on by a thread here and drafted Kellen Winslow II in the first round? He did this in an attempt to find the player who could help the Browns win now.
As they had a 35 year old Jeff Garcia as their starting QB, and they passed on Ben Roethlisberger.
I get what you are saying Orion, but allow me to retort regarding your "draft the player who can help you win now" argument.
But of course. Always! (I actually didn't use the word 'now'...but I guess it's sort of implied)
Remember when Butch Davis was hanging on by a thread here and drafted Kellen Winslow II in the first round?
...and that goes to ballpeen's statement of, It helps to draft the right guy. Butch Davis' OL was totally inept also. And he even came out and said it, Until we fix the offensive line, nothing will change. That was his quote. But he didn't fix the OL. And he had too much power. The GM and football people wanted him to draft Richard Seymour, but he drafted Big Money instead...because he had recruited him from high school for his college program. (I didn't like him. He treated the players like children. And he was a liar)
My whole thing for this year is that we have a good solid defense. But we totally suck on offense because of the OL & WR's. The defense doesn't need to be getting any bling while the offense has no clothes.
Haslam wants to win now. You can hear that theme coming out in just about every interview he does.
...and Winslow was a talented player...but apparently he was kind of whacked out in the head. (whacked out...that's almost funny)
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a) But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury.
b.) (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
unfair question?
Which is it?
Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love or Caleb Downs may not be HOF caliber?
It's why we play this great game !
-
I get what you are saying Orion, but allow me to retort regarding your "draft the player who can help you win now" argument.
But of course. Always! (I actually didn't use the word 'now'...but I guess it's sort of implied)
Remember when Butch Davis was hanging on by a thread here and drafted Kellen Winslow II in the first round?
...and that goes to ballpeen's statement of, It helps to draft the right guy. Butch Davis' OL was totally inept also. And he even came out and said it, Until we fix the offensive line, nothing will change. That was his quote. But he didn't fix the OL. And he had too much power. The GM and football people wanted him to draft Richard Seymour, but he drafted Big Money instead...because he had recruited him from high school for his college program. (I didn't like him. He treated the players like children. And he was a liar)
My whole thing for this year is that we have a good solid defense. But we totally suck on offense because of the OL & WR's. The defense doesn't need to be getting any bling while the offense has no clothes.
Haslam wants to win now. You can hear that theme coming out in just about every interview he does.
...and Winslow was a talented player...but apparently he was kind of whacked out in the head. (whacked out...that's almost funny)
But of course. Always! (I actually didn't use the word 'now'...but I guess it's sort of implied)
...and that goes to ballpeen's statement of, It helps to draft the right guy. Butch Davis' OL was totally inept also. And he even came out and said it, Until we fix the offensive line, nothing will change. That was his quote. But he didn't fix the OL. And he had too much power. The GM and football people wanted him to draft Richard Seymour, but he drafted Big Money instead...because he had recruited him from high school for his college program. (I didn't like him. He treated the players like children. And he was a liar)
My whole thing for this year is that we have a good solid defense. But we totally suck on offense because of the OL & WR's. The defense doesn't need to be getting any bling while the offense has no clothes.
Haslam wants to win now. You can hear that theme coming out in just about every interview he does.
...and Winslow was a talented player...but apparently he was kind of whacked out in the head. (whacked out...that's almost funny)
At the end of the day, there’s a reason I keep posting mock drafts where the Browns take an OT and a WR with their first round picks. I hope they not only do this, but take another OLineman at #37 overall.
But if they took a defensive player at 6 who ends up being a great perennial Pro Bowler, I won’t kill them for it.
-
I get what you are saying Orion, but allow me to retort regarding your "draft the player who can help you win now" argument.
But of course. Always! (I actually didn't use the word 'now'...but I guess it's sort of implied)
Remember when Butch Davis was hanging on by a thread here and drafted Kellen Winslow II in the first round?
...and that goes to ballpeen's statement of, It helps to draft the right guy. Butch Davis' OL was totally inept also. And he even came out and said it, Until we fix the offensive line, nothing will change. That was his quote. But he didn't fix the OL. And he had too much power. The GM and football people wanted him to draft Richard Seymour, but he drafted Big Money instead...because he had recruited him from high school for his college program. (I didn't like him. He treated the players like children. And he was a liar)
My whole thing for this year is that we have a good solid defense. But we totally suck on offense because of the OL & WR's. The defense doesn't need to be getting any bling while the offense has no clothes.
Haslam wants to win now. You can hear that theme coming out in just about every interview he does.
...and Winslow was a talented player...but apparently he was kind of whacked out in the head. (whacked out...that's almost funny)
-
What is it that you want your football team to do? Win more games, right?
The reason the team practices in the offseason, training camp, pre season, and the regular season is to be better able to win games.
The Draft (and FA) should be a function that supports that effort. What can we do on draft weekend that helps the team to be able to win more games?
Here's my view of drafting BPA (best player available): Why even send anyone to the draft site? Just set up your draft Big Board. Give each player a number value, feed that information into the computer and the computer will spit out the BPA for you each time it's your turn to pick. Integrate your computer to the NFL draft system. Boom! You're Done! Berry & Co. can take the wives out to dinner on Thursday night, go bowling Friday night and spend Saturday on the golf course.
No! I want the best player available that can help my team win freakin' football games. And I think that this year highlights my view. There may be a defensive player available to us at pick #6 who ranks higher on our board than anyone else available. To me, (for our team) drafting a defense player for a top 5 defense is drafting for statistics. It won't improve the team's ability to win more games. It's the offensive line & the wide receiver positions that are abysmal and are keeping us from winning. Perhaps if those two positions weren't in the horrid shape they're in but just needed some bit of improvement, then you could take the defender that you think might become an exceptional player. But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury. (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
And that strategy should be used throughout the draft. Let's face it, when a team trades up in the draft, they're targeting a player that they have a need for. They're not trading up to a spot so their computer can pick whomever it is the 'puter has ranked highest at that time.
- That's my view on drafting players. Thanks for taking the time to read.
What is it that you want your football team to do? Win more games, right?
The reason the team practices in the offseason, training camp, pre season, and the regular season is to be better able to win games.
The Draft (and FA) should be a function that supports that effort. What can we do on draft weekend that helps the team to be able to win more games?
Here's my view of drafting BPA (best player available): Why even send anyone to the draft site? Just set up your draft Big Board. Give each player a number value, feed that information into the computer and the computer will spit out the BPA for you each time it's your turn to pick. Integrate your computer to the NFL draft system. Boom! You're Done! Berry & Co. can take the wives out to dinner on Thursday night, go bowling Friday night and spend Saturday on the golf course.
No! I want the best player available that can help my team win freakin' football games. And I think that this year highlights my view. There may be a defensive player available to us at pick #6 who ranks higher on our board than anyone else available. To me, (for our team) drafting a defense player for a top 5 defense is drafting for statistics. It won't improve the team's ability to win more games. It's the offensive line & the wide receiver positions that are abysmal and are keeping us from winning. Perhaps if those two positions weren't in the horrid shape they're in but just needed some bit of improvement, then you could take the defender that you think might become an exceptional player. But with our OL & WR situations we just do not have that kind of luxury. (of course, if you suspect that that player may be of HOF caliber, then you bite the bullet and pick him)
And that strategy should be used throughout the draft. Let's face it, when a team trades up in the draft, they're targeting a player that they have a need for. They're not trading up to a spot so their computer can pick whomever it is the 'puter has ranked highest at that time.
- That's my view on drafting players. Thanks for taking the time to read.
Well done! Thanks!
That said, this isn't really a complicated science. After watching this team only win 3 games in 2024 the Browns made ZERO improvements to their OL. Then, we watched 17 games in 2025 with the 2 weakest spots on this team jumping off the screen at us: OL & WR. Now here's some cut and pastes of the repercussions of it all. Think of it as Divine Intervention asking Berry & Haslam - do you ever want to put the dumpster fire out?
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If I had to choose which I'd like to see most in FA, it would be the OL.
SORRY Dawgs! Can't find anywhere else to put this
We might have a updated version come Monday... Joel Bitonio ?
Decision day for the Cleveland Browns and Joel Bitonio looms, on the 16th of February (Monday) his contract is set to void which means he will become a free agent.
This will lock in a dead cap charge of $23,504,000 for the 2026 season that cannot be changed in anyway. They have options to change this but that needs to be decided before the 16th of Feb.
Browns have three different options to stop a dead cap charge of $23.5m being locked in for the 2026 season:
- They extend JB (a 1 year Franchise Tag ?)
- JB retires
- Moving the voiding date back---(Likely to happen/announce by Monday).>>
What could happen is an amendment to the contract which pushes the voiding date on the deal back. So rather than the 16th of February his contract voids it could move back to another date. March 10th to 13th are common dates for contracts voiding as it is all around the time of free agency. Also over a month prior to the NFL Draft
This poster, hopes JB's got 1 farewell tour season left ! Good Luck Joel Bitonio !
stay tuned.. we could win more games !
Browns have three different options to stop a dead cap charge of $23.5m being locked in for the 2026 season:
- They extend JB (a 1 year Franchise Tag ?)
- JB retires
- Moving the voiding date back
This poster, hopes JB's got 1 farewell tour season left ! Good Luck Joel Bitonio !
Joel Bitonio, Browns push back void date on his contract
Jason Lloyd of TheAthletic.com reports that Bitonio and the team have agreed to push the void date of his current contract to just before the start of the 2026 league year in March. The contract was set to void on Monday.
Yep! College LT's, make pro bowls at NFL LG too
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But of course. Always! (I actually didn't use the word 'now'...but I guess it's sort of implied)
...and that goes to ballpeen's statement of, It helps to draft the right guy. Butch Davis' OL was totally inept also. And he even came out and said it, Until we fix the offensive line, nothing will change. That was his quote. But he didn't fix the OL. And he had too much power. The GM and football people wanted him to draft Richard Seymour, but he drafted Big Money instead...because he had recruited him from high school for his college program. (I didn't like him. He treated the players like children. And he was a liar)
My whole thing for this year is that we have a good solid defense. But we totally suck on offense because of the OL & WR's. The defense doesn't need to be getting any bling while the offense has no clothes.
Haslam wants to win now. You can hear that theme coming out in just about every interview he does.
...and Winslow was a talented player...but apparently he was kind of whacked out in the head. (whacked out...that's almost funny)
At the end of the day, there’s a reason I keep posting mock drafts where the Browns take an OT and a WR with their first round picks. I hope they not only do this, but take another OLineman at #37 overall.
But if they took a defensive player at 6 who ends up being a great perennial Pro Bowler, I won’t kill them for it.
At the end of the day, there’s a reason I keep posting mock drafts where the Browns take an OT and a WR with their first round picks. I hope they not only do this, but take another OLineman at #37 overall.
But if they took a defensive player at 6 who ends up being a great perennial Pro Bowler, I won’t kill them for it.
Yeah, look at the Draft Simulator thread you started. "Yeah okay I'll try 1. Alright, I'll just do 1 more. Okay I lied - just 1 more. Damn, I stunk that one up - so that was just mulligan to the 1 I'm trying now. Can't quit like this - just 1 more. No harm in doing 1 last 1 before bed. Guess who's addicted?"
The Warden couldn't thank you enough for the break...
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On NFLN tonight at 8pm.. Tennessee at Cleveland . A showcase of 2 Rookie QB's. Ward at Sanders
This may have been the worse game I've ever seen #9 Grant Delpit ever play ? (lackluster angles/effort and ya can't tackle high)
Caleb Downs at pick 6 vs Grant Delpit a 2.44 pick..
Grant Delpit is due a contract after the 2026 season
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On NFLN tonight at 8pm.. Tennessee at Cleveland . A showcase of 2 Rookie QB's. Ward at Sanders
This may have been the worse game I've ever seen #9 Grant Delpit ever play ? (lackluster angles/effort and ya can't tackle high)
Caleb Downs at pick 6 vs Grant Delpit a 2.44 pick..
Grant Delpit is due a contract after the 2026 season
On NFLN tonight at 8pm.. Tennessee at Cleveland . A showcase of 2 Rookie QB's. Ward at Sanders
This may have been the worse game I've ever seen #9 Grant Delpit ever play ? (lackluster angles/effort and ya can't tackle high)
Caleb Downs at pick 6 vs Grant Delpit a 2.44 pick..
Grant Delpit is due a contract after the 2026 season
Yeah, I love Delpit close to the LOS in run support, but he's never been great in pass coverage ( while not awful).
I think we'd all like to see Downs as a Brown, but their offense was so awful I just don't see them drafting any defensive player in the 1st round.
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On NFLN tonight at 8pm.. Tennessee at Cleveland . A showcase of 2 Rookie QB's. Ward at Sanders
This may have been the worse game I've ever seen #9 Grant Delpit ever play ? (lackluster angles/effort and ya can't tackle high)
Caleb Downs at pick 6 vs Grant Delpit a 2.44 pick..
Grant Delpit is due a contract after the 2026 season
Yeah, I love Delpit close to the LOS in run support, but he's never been great in pass coverage ( while not awful).
I think we'd all like to see Downs as a Brown, but their offense was so awful I just don't see them drafting any defensive player in the 1st round.
Yeah, I love Delpit close to the LOS in run support, but he's never been great in pass coverage ( while not awful).
I think we'd all like to see Downs as a Brown, but their offense was so awful I just don't see them drafting any defensive player in the 1st round.
Would I be irate if they took Downs? No.
But this offense is in shambles. My hope is they invest heavily in the offense, specifically on the OLine and WR so if they take a QB in Round 1 in 2027 he isn't coming into a barren wasteland.
Looking at this draft and how it seems to be shaking out, I kind of like the idea of trading down a little out of #6 and taking a tackle (Lomu?) and then possibly moving up from #24 to get a WR (Boston?).
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I don't see any real value in trading up early in the draft. I think we would find more value trading a couple of 5th rounders to move up elsewhere.
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I don't see any real value in trading up early in the draft. I think we would find more value trading a couple of 5th rounders to move up elsewhere.
I don't see any real value in trading up early in the draft. I think we would find more value trading a couple of 5th rounders to move up elsewhere.
I don't see any real value in sitting pat at #24 and seeing all the top tier WRs come off the board before you can pick at a position you are desperate to fix, but I'm a silly goose that way.
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Yeah, I love Delpit close to the LOS in run support, but he's never been great in pass coverage ( while not awful).
I think we'd all like to see Downs as a Brown, but their offense was so awful I just don't see them drafting any defensive player in the 1st round.
Would I be irate if they took Downs? No.
But this offense is in shambles. My hope is they invest heavily in the offense, specifically on the OLine and WR so if they take a QB in Round 1 in 2027 he isn't coming into a barren wasteland.
Looking at this draft and how it seems to be shaking out, I kind of like the idea of trading down a little out of #6 and taking a tackle (Lomu?) and then possibly moving up from #24 to get a WR (Boston?).
get a WR (Boston?)
I like him. And I agree, would probably be gone before pick 24.
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get a WR (Boston?)
I like him. And I agree, would probably be gone before pick 24.
I like him. And I agree, would probably be gone before pick 24.
yeah, Boston would be a terrific pick at 24, but I had to be honest and figure he would be gone at least a few picks before the Browns could draft him. I've seen a few mocks that have Mauioga and Fano drafted before the #6 pick. Trouble is, I wouldn't pass up the L/R OG for Boston, with the Browns needing to revamp their offensive line so much. so confusing.
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