Browns can frame it however they want. NFL draft trade stems from Deshaun Watson

BEREA — The dead horse representing the vast ripple effect of the Deshaun Watson trade has been severely beaten. Heck, by now, it’s probably some sort of zombie you’ll see galloping through an episode of “The Last of Us.”

Well, in classic Browns fashion, here we go again.

The Browns didn’t have a first-round pick in three consecutive drafts from 2022-24 because they traded them to the Houston Texans as part of the haul surrendered for Watson in March 2022.

So what did the Browns do when they were on the clock with the second overall pick on Thursday, April 24?

They traded down to fifth overall in a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars and gained a first-round pick in 2026 as part of the package. Then they took Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham at No. 5.

General manager Andrew Berry rejected the notion moving down is related to recouping lost assets from the past three years.

“I wouldn’t really tie it to that,” he said.

However, coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t offer a Dikembe Mutombo finger wag.

“Having multiple first-round picks is a big deal,” Stefanski said.

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks during the NFL scouting combine Feb. 25, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

As for the pick at No. 5, Ohio State fans who pay attention to the trenches should know Graham has the potential to be a stellar NFL player.

But bypassing two college football stars who play premium positions — Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter — makes the trade risky.

After the Tennessee Titans chose Miami quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1, the Jaguars took Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Hunter at No. 2, the New York Giants picked Penn State edge rusher Carter at No. 3 and the New England Patriots selected Louisiana State offensive tackle Will Campbell at No. 4.

Although the Browns are excited about adding Graham, they’re also thrilled about jump-starting their recovery process in the aftermath of the Watson disaster.

“This is really more of an independent decision to move back three spots and to get pick No. 36 in this draft and a future one while also getting a top player in the trenches,” Berry contended.

The Browns can frame it any way they want, but they have a long list of needs after sitting out Round 1 three years in a row, and the haul they received by dropping from No. 2 overall to No. 5 should help them compensate.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett spoke March 14, 2025, at team headquarters in Berea, Ohio, about signing a historic contract extension. Garrett loves dinosaurs, so his media availability had a theme.

The Browns didn’t use star defensive end Myles Garrett’s trade request earlier this offseason to launch a full-blown rebuild. Instead, they convinced him to sign a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March.

More than a month later, the Browns used the No. 2 overall pick to begin what appears to be a version of a rebuild. There are varying degrees to such things.

The Jaguars sent the Browns the following: a first-round selection in 2026 along with three picks this year, No. 5, a second-round selection (No. 36) and a fourth-round choice (No. 126). In addition to No. 2, the Browns sent the Jaguars a fourth-round pick (No. 104) and a sixth-round selection (No. 200) this year.

Cleveland Browns news: Mason Graham to Browns in NFL draft: Instant grade, analysis, stats for 5th overall pick

After the wheeling and dealing, the Browns entered Friday, April 25, with two picks in the second round (Nos. 33 and 36) and two in the third round (Nos. 67 and 94).

Berry said the Browns consider Rounds 2 and 3 the “sweet spot of this draft.”

And just wait until you hear why kicking the can down the road to 2026 appeals to them.

“Quite frankly, we think [next year] will be a bit stronger in the first 30 picks,” Berry said.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, center, poses for a portrait with general manager Andrew Berry, left, and coach Kevin Stefanski during Watson’s introductory news conference on March 26, 2022, at the Browns training facility in Berea.

All of this suggests the franchise’s plan is for Berry to remain the GM and Stefanski the coach in 2026. If there’s a meltdown in 2025 the way there was in 2024 during a 3-14 season, then, sure, all bets are off, and two first-round picks in 2026 could be included in Cleveland’s recruiting pitch to a new regime.

At least for now, though, trading the No. 2 pick appears to be another sign owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have given Berry and Stefanski a mulligan for what they have all stated publicly was an organizational decision to trade for Watson.

Berry’s draft track record is not strong enough for continuity to be considered anything but a leap of faith by the Haslams.

NFL draft takeaways: The Browns passed on Shedeur Sanders. Will they in the 2nd round?

The same fans and media members who thought the Browns shouldn’t trade Garrett because Berry wouldn’t be able to capitalize on the picks he would acquire should also be opposed to trading No. 2. It’s the same conundrum.

Yet, if Berry were to finally break through by ending Cleveland’s eternal quest for a franchise quarterback this weekend or in next year’s draft, the 2025 first-round trade the Browns executed would become widely revered.

Even though the Watson debacle from three years earlier led to it.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns trade in NFL draft’s first round stems from Deshaun Watson deal

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Browns can frame it however they want. NFL draft trade stems from Deshaun Watson | Ulrich

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