The Browns emerged from draft weekend with more firepower for the new defensive, no rookie quarterback to press Brandon Weeden, and a new veteran receiver in Davone Bess. Watch video
Browns CEO Joe Banner and Rob Chudzinski added weapons for this year and collected two picks for next year. BEREA, Ohio -- The inaugural draft of Browns CEO Joe Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi brought some more firepower for the new 3-4 defense, no rookie quarterback to threaten Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell, a starting receiver and the first trade with the Steelers in 45 years.
All told, the Browns drafted five players, picked up two middle-round picks in 2014 and traded for Dolphins receiver Davone Bess, who will start or see significant action. The three players they drafted Saturday after trading their fourth- and fifth-round picks were Notre Dame safety Jamoris Slaughter (175 overall), defensive end Armonty Bryant (217) and offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey (227).
“We think of our draft as the five players we drafted today, plus Josh Gordon (from the second-round pick), plus Bess, plus two quality future draft picks,'' said Banner. "When you look at what did we take, before the (Colt) McCoy trade we had six draft picks. What value did we turn that into? It’s the Gordon, Bess, plus the players we picked, plus the two future assets that we’ve acquired. And hopefully we’ve made some good decisions with the undrafted guys.''
But just because the Browns pushed some of their picks out to the future, Banner said, "Listen, we’re not asking for a free pass for this year. We expect to improve, we expect it to be conspicuous. We expect, as you look at the individual players we’ve added and the way that coaches bring them together, get them in sync and be better, we’re not saying that we don’t expect to be better. We’re not gonna reach all of our goals or fill all of our needs this year. But we think we’ll play exciting, aggressive football.''
Day three of the draft began with a slow crawl as the Browns traded those first two picks: their fourth -rounder -- No. 111 overall -- to the Steelers their arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers for a third-rounder in 2014. They came back in the fifth round and traded the No. 139 selection to the Colts for a fourth-rounder in 2014.
In making the trades, the Browns passed on a number of safeties and several big-name quarterbacks, including Oklahoma's Landry Jones and Arkansas' Tyler Wilson.
The message seemed clear that the Browns were content to head into the season with Weeden as the intended starter and Campbell pressing him all the way. A report surfaced early in the say on NFL Network that the Browns were interested in Cardinals backup Brian Hoyer, but Banner declined to address it specifically.
"Quarterback’s an important position,'' said Banner. "We're always gonna be open to looking at the position, we’re always gonna be evaluating everybody and every option there is to get stronger there, just as a matter of organizational philosophy.''
Coach Rob Chudzinski said the quarterbacks didn't match up value-wise when the Browns were on the board, and that he's excited about what he has. Overall, they passed up all the big-name passers in Geno Smith, EJ Manuel, Matt Barkley and Ryan Nassib.
"As far as the guys that are here, I want to see, and we want to give them every opportunity to improve,'' said Chudzinski. "They have the ability. We're excited about them as players to see them grow and see how they progress in the system. And we feel good about the group that we have.''
He indicated Weeden is still the frontrunner for the job.
"I’m excited about Brandon and I'm excited about the progress he's made thus far and learning the system, to the point we are right now, which is still very early,'' he said. "And I've also been pleased with Jason and the role he's taken in being there. We want to give these guys every opportunity to succeed, and give Brandon, specifically, since you’re asking about him, every opportunity to succeed.''
Regarding the Steelers trade, it was the first time since May 14, 1968 when the Browns sent quarterback Bill Nelson to Pittsburgh that the bitter rivals executed a deal. The move happened a pick after the Giants jumped up one slot ahead of the Browns to nab Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib.
Did the Browns trade out of the round because Nassib was gone?
"That trade had nothing to do with it,'' said Banner. "It was made on our own board and our value.''
Banner said he believes the Steelers initiated the trade, and that he had "multiple trade offers for that pick, including other teams offering the same thing. We felt like that was the best trade to make.''
The Browns left a few decent safeties on the board in that trade, including one that the Steelers picked with the Browns' selection, Syracuse's safety Shamarko Thomas (5-9, 213), a projected third- or fourth-rounder. They also passed on Fresno State's Phillip Thomas, a highly-touted safety who went No. 119 overall to the Redskins.
"I prefer trading within the division,'' said Banner. "You don’t make a trade you don’t think you’re winning, so if you’re winning a trade within your own division, you’re even better than winning a trade in another division. Obviously that can burn you from time to time, but if you look at Philadelphia, we traded Donovan McNabb. Everybody thought, what are they doing, they’re giving a quarterback to a team in the division. We felt we strengthened the Eagles and didn’t do anything to help the competitor. It didn’t matter who it was, but we’re not afraid at all of making the trade in the division if we think it benefits us.”
The day three haul included a safety in Slaughter that's coming a torn Achilles tendon but should be ready in time for camp, a pass-rushing defensive linemen in Bryant that's overcoming a marijuana arrest in October and a offensive lineman in Gilkey who provides depth at tackle.
“Bryant's an explosive, speed-off-the-edge, good-sized defensive end who can apply pressure to the quarterback,'' said Banner. "He’d be that type of player in our scheme. He can put weight on. He’s 265, somewhere in that range right now, and has a big frame and real raw. Through the course of looking into his background, we felt like he’s past his mistakes that he’s made and ready to move on and he’s matured.”
Including free agency, the Browns added pass-rushers Paul Kruger and first-rounder Barkevious Mingo, explosive defensive end Desmond Bryant, and potential starters in third-round cornerback Leo McFadden, and sixth-round safety Jamoris Slaughter.
"To a degree (the focus was on defense),'' he said. "We were trying to focus on players we thought made us better. The difference is on offense we think we have a lot of young guys we’re not quite sure what they’re going to be over time. We were inclined to give them time to see how they develop then we’ll be able to identify where we’re at. On defense, we felt it was clearer to identify the talent out there, the talent we had, match it up with the philosophy we want and make moves to make it even better. So it was a little bit of both.”