The Browns yesterday traded the No. 2 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft to the Eagles for five top 100 draft choices over the next three drafts, including a first-round pick next year, and for the "first time in years, Browns fans have reason to feel optimistic about the future," according to Jason Hirschhorn of SPORTS ON EARTH (4/20). YAHOO SPORTS' Dan Wetzel wrote the Browns "pulled off a highly intelligent, almost unfathomably sound trade." This might be the "best day the franchise has had since it reformed" in Cleveland in '99 (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/20). BLEACHER REPORT's Mike Freeman wrote the Browns "made one of the smartest moves of this year's draft." Freeman: "Wait...what?" The trade "was a smart move" by the team's new front office, including Exec VP/Football Operations Sashi Brown, Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta and coach Hue Jackson (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 4/20). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes under the header, "With Trade, Browns Finally Score Draft Win." There is "no doubt" the Browns "have much work to do." But it is "about time that the Browns showed a winning hand" (USA TODAY, 4/21).
IS THERE PRECEDENT? In Akron, Nate Ulrich notes analytics "favors trading down to compile additional picks, and the Browns' new regime is committed to analytics more than any other front office in NFL history." In theory, more holes "can be filled with more selections, and the team's lackluster roster needs all the help it can get." But previous regimes "have accumulated picks, yet failed to capitalize" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 4/21). NFL Network's Charley Casserly said, "Cleveland has already tried this process before, and they did not pick the right players” (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 4/20). ESPN’s Adam Schefter said, “When you’ve got the new front office with Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta and the reliance on analytics, they value picks more than they value Carson Wentz here” (“NFL Live,” ESPN, 4/20). ESPN’s Israel Gutierrez said the Browns are “doing a very smart thing” by accumulating draft picks, because they are a “team with that history of having failures at quarterback and you’re not sure on any of the quarterbacks" in this year's draft (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 4/20). NFL Network’s Eric Davis said, “You hear all the time there’s a premium on these draft picks." Davis: "No, there’s a premium on having good players on your team, and that’s been the issue. They’ve had a whole lot of picks and they’ve just screwed it up.” NFL Network’s Heath Evans: “Analytics have never been the problem in Cleveland. … Atrocious football and bad coaching and bad management and bad ownership, forcing draft picks on draft days like Johnny Manziel -- that’s been the issue” (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 4/20). In Cleveland, Bud Shaw writes the "sins of past regimes shouldn't be attached" to the Browns' new front office. But it is "just as aimless to immediately call this strategy smart." There is "nothing to base that on, no track record to suggest extra picks in the hands" of Brown are "anything other than extra picks" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 4/21).
EAGLE EYE: In Philadelphia, Paul Domowitch writes the Eagles, after swapping first round picks in this year's draft and several players with the Dolphins last month, "should have sat on their hands, selected one of the three of four appealing options that figure to be on the board" and "taken a well-deserved bow." But instead they "overdosed on testosterone and decided to show the rest of the NFL how smart they are" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/21). Also in Philadelphia, Marcus Hayes notes Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie "clearly is taking a larger role in matters these days, and he doesn't care who knows." Lurie "watched the relationship" between Exec VP/Football Operations Howie Roseman and former coach Chip Kelly "disintegrate in two years." He also "watched Kelly, given autonomy, destroy the franchise in 11 months." But Lurie "will not watch" the reascended Roseman "do the same." Hayes: "Not without oversight" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/21).
