The Cleveland Browns flopped in 2019 after getting a ton of hype ahead of the season. Many pegged them as legitimate Super Bowl contenders after pairing Jarvis Landry with Odell Beckham Jr. for Baker Mayfield to utilize out wide, but a 6-10 finish suggested otherwise.
The Browns are back this year with a vengeance though. They’ve made Austin Hooper the highest paid tight end in the league and landed one of the best free agent offensive lineman on the market in Jack Conklin this offseason. What’s next for Cleveland?
2020 Draft Picks
Round 1, pick 10 (No. 10 overall): Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Round 2, pick 12 (No. 44): Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Round 3, pick 24 (No. 88): Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri
Round 3, pick 33 (No. 97): Jacob Phillips, LB, LSU
Round 4, pick 9 (No. 115): Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic
Round 5, pick 14 (No. 160): Nick Harris, C, Washington
Round 6, pick 8 (No. 187): Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan
Team needs
Offense
The Browns are loaded on offense and have stars at wide receiver, tight end, and running back. However, their struggles with the offensive line plague them last season. Cleveland fortified its unit up front by signing Conklin this offseason, and could double down by getting another lineman with the 10th pick in the draft.
Defense
Cleveland forked up Jabrill Peppers to land Beckham Jr. last offseason and acquired some short-term fill-ins at safety this offseason. It could add more youth in its secondary. But the linebacker position shouldn’t go unaddressed. Joe Schobert leaving means there will probably be a downgrade on the inside.
Dream first pick
Quite a few teams are looking for offensive lineman early, so Cleveland might get the second or third best prospect in the draft. Alabama’s Jedrick Willis might be off the board by the time the 10th pick rolls around, but the Browns should be happy to get Mekhi Becton on Andrew Thomas. Thomas entered 2019 as the highest rated offensive line prospect in college, and he could be a steal that maximizes the Browns’ offensive potential.