The Browns drafted Florida DT Caleb Brantley in the NFL Draft on Saturday, though Exec VP/Football Operations Sashi Brown acknowledged an investigation into a recent alleged misdemeanor assault could prevent the team "from being able to keep him," according to Dan Labbe of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. Brown: "We communicated to Caleb that this is still something that we're investigating and looking into and that facts may turn up." Brown said the risk of drafting a player with a pending assault charge was "something that we got comfortable enough [with] at this point to make the decision." But he added, "That doesn't mean that Caleb is necessarily going to be on our roster as we move forward." Brown said that the decision to draft Brantley was "made as a football staff and did not involve ownership" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 4/30). Brown said that Brantley "visited the Browns before the incident, but the team hasn't spoken to him since the accusations surfaced" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 4/30). In Cleveland, Terry Pluto wrote the Browns had "talked about changing the culture, bringing in players with higher character." Pluto: "Why draft a guy who has been charged with misdemeanor assault on a woman?" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 4/30). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes it was "striking that Brown maintained they picked Brantley even while still investigating the matter." Maybe Brantley "will play like an A-list talent" and "properly handle his business off the field." Yet the pick was also "just like the Browns" to raise the question of "whether they’ve set themselves up for another glaring letdown" (USA TOADY, 5/1).
CHANGING TIMES? BLEACHER REPORT's Mike Freeman wrote the NFL "used to be terrified of the PR that came with drafting someone caught on video knocking a woman out," but "not anymore." Now NFL teams "aren't even shy about their acceptance; they defend it in almost arrogant, unbelievable ways." The Jaguars picked Oklahoma WR Dede Westbrook in the fourth round Saturday, and he has "multiple accusations of violence against him involving the mother of his children." Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell said the team did its "due diligence" and "all of those charges were dropped." He added, "We all have been accused of things, not all of us, but many of us have been accused of things." Freeman wrote of the Browns drafting Brantley, "We don't know if [he] did it, but not so long ago, the mere possibility he did would have seen him yanked from almost every draft board." Freeman: "Now, it's not even close" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 4/29). In Pittsburgh, Paul Zeise wrote most NFL fans "don’t really care about off-field issues and the character of players." Every front office "knows this, so they continue to add these players to their rosters." Many fans "express outrage when their team drafts a bad character," but "it’s mostly false." Zeise: "They still buy tickets, tune in and root for their team" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/30).
