The AFC North was generally a busy place of action during draft weekend -- everywhere but Cleveland.
BEREA, Ohio -- Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi could have mowed and fertilized the practice fields behind Browns headquarters with all the down time they had during the NFL Draft.
The club made just five picks over three days – tied for fewest with Carolina and New Orleans -- as they traded two middle rounders to stockpile future draft assets in 2014. They already were without a second rounder after taking Josh Gordon in last year’s supplemental draft.
While the Browns were reduced to spectators for long stretches, their AFC North rivals replenished their rosters. The Cincinnati Bengals acquired the draft’s highest-rated tight end in Tyler Eifert. The Pittsburgh Steelers replaced James Harrison with college football’s sack leader Jarvis Jones, who fell to them at No. 17. And, the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, raided in free agency, addressed several pressing defensive needs and had one of the best drafts, judging from a sampling of national experts.
“As a whole, the AFC North and NFC West had the best drafts of anyone in the league,” one league source told The Plain Dealer. “I was not as critical of the Browns as some people because they got a good pass rusher (Barkevious Mingo) and set themselves up nicely for next year’s draft. But the teams around them did get better.”
In a sports world that craves instant analysis, drafts often take two or three years to properly assess. But here’s a glance at how the Browns’ division rivals fared:
Ravens: Almost every Super Bowl champion in the free-agent era loses a valuable player or two. But the Ravens were hit hard due to salary-cap issues exacerbated by the re-signing of quarterback Joe Flacco. Ray Lewis retired. Anquan Boldin was traded, while Paul Kruger (Browns) and Ed Reed (Houston) departed through free agency.
General Manager Ozzie Newsome had significant holes and he might have filled three on defense. He grabbed safety Matt Elam in the first round and traded up in the second to get inside linebacker Arthur Brown. They may have found a third starter with Brandon Williams at nose tackle.
The bonus in this draft is Ohio State’s John Simon, the defensive end/outside linebacker taken in the fourth round. Good teams always seem to find ways to develop high-energy players like Simon. While Baltimore retooled defensively, they could not address their need for a wide receiver and left tackle.
Overall, solid rebuilding -- never thought that word would apply to a Super Bowl champ -- by the Ravens.
Bengals: It wasn’t long ago the Bengals were known for their comically inept drafts. Akili Smith? Ki-Jana Carter? David Klingler? But the laughter has subsided as the Bengals have made back-to-back playoff appearances on the strength of their recent draft classes.
“Year in and year out they seem to be getting it right,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper said Monday in a conference call.
The Bengals did not draft for need in the early rounds, selecting Eifert, a tight end who can enhance the vertical game. Kiper said the Notre Dame product, coupled with receiver A.J. Green, will create “match-up nightmares for opponents."
Cincinnati added speedy running back Giovani Bernard – the first halfback chosen at No. 37 – to complement the power running of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The Bengals waited to the third round to address their biggest need, a strong safety, choosing Shawn Williams.
The club made one of the weekend's most intriguing picks with Southern Methodist’s defensive end Margus Hunt in the second round. Known as the “Eastern Bloc” for his ability to reject kicks, the 6-8 Estonian is a former track star who wowed scouts with his workouts. He’s definitely a project, but the Bengals' lineup is mature enough that coaches can take time and develop Hunt rather than rushing him on the field.
It’s a sign of how times are changing in Cincinnati.
Steelers: The Browns’ and Steelers’ draft classes will be forever linked this year – and not just because the teams made their first trade since 1968. The decision to move the No. 111 pick overall (safety Shamarko Thomas) to the Steelers for a third-rounder in 2014 is generating most of the attention. But it’s what the teams did in the first round that could have a greater impact.
Both drafted an edge rusher as the Browns selected Mingo at No. 6, while the Steelers pounced on Jones, who recorded 14.5 sacks last season for Georgia. If Mingo develops into a force, the Browns will be vindicated. But if Mingo fizzles and Jones becomes the Steelers’ latest pass-rushing terror then hard questions will be asked.
The Browns had a chance to trade down with the St. Louis Rams, who offered them and four other teams a second- and seventh-round pick, according to the Post-Dispatch. (The Rams ultimately found a partner in Buffalo.) The Browns would have moved down to No. 16, where Jones might have been waiting for them.
Instead, the Steelers nabbed Jones and, in the fourth round, chose the hard-hitting Thomas with the pick from Cleveland. The Syracuse product likely will play special teams and spend a season learning under Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. His history of concussions make Thomas a bit of a risk given his rugged style and undersized frame.
But Kiper believes the franchise has added two rookies in Jones and Thomas that possess “the Steelers mentality.” Some think the club reached by taking Le’Veon Bell in the second round, but their running-back-by-committee approach hasn’t worked in recent seasons. They have enjoyed success drafting receivers in the third round and hope that trends continues with Markus Wheaton.
But it’s the progression of Jones and Thomas that will be closely monitored in Cleveland.
Clarification: In the Plain Dealer's report on national analysts grading the Browns draft, CBS Sports' Dane Brugler's name was used instead of Rob Rang's. The CBS Sports website put Brugler's byline under Rang's copy. Corrections have been made at the host site as well as at cleveland.com.