Browns Remain Open to Trading Back Further in Draft

Barely twenty four hours from the start of the 2016 NFL draft, the wheeling and dealing out of the Cleveland Browns’ war room may be far from over. According to CBS NFL insider Jason La Canfora, the Browns remain open to the possibility of trading out of the eighth overall pick – the selection spot most recently acquired through a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Continue to hear the Browns wide open to dealing out of [eight],” La Canfora said on Twitter. “Would go into the teens to target Treadwell (Conklin plan B).”

If they can find a buyer, the move would be another shrewd one for the Browns, who are currently deep into the annual pre-draft provision of false hope for their fans. Cleveland’s willingness to deal out of the second pick was a strong indication that it didn’t value either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz as a prospective franchise quarterback.

With both of those signal callers sure to be off the board by pick number eight, the Browns could be willing to further consolidate their position by trading back and scoring more of a consensus top 15-20 talent.

Wideout Laquon Treadwell is pegged by many as the best receiver in the draft, whose ideal size would place him head and shoulders – literally – above the rest of Cleveland’s diminutive corps. The loss of Josh Gordon for at least another season could make Treadwell extra tempting in a division full of fast and furious defenders.

Jack Conklin is similarly touted as perhaps the best offensive lineman in the class. Franchise stalwart Joe Thomas is nearing the end of his career but is still good enough to hold down the starting role at left tackle. The Browns could be looking to blood Conklin in at right tackle until Thomas calls it quits. The losses of interior linemen Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack could sway this decision, as the injury-prove RGIII will need all the protection Cleveland can afford.

But what about a buyer? Maybe the Titans could come knocking, given the franchise has expressed interest in throwing around its truckload of newly-acquired picks to surge back into the top 10. Tennessee traded the first overall selection to the Los Angeles Rams two weeks ago.