The NFL finalized the overall draft order today by awarding compensatory picks, locking in the Browns total draft picks at 10. Their first awarded pick will be the last pick of the sixth round, pick 216, and pick 254 in the seventh round. Teams are awarded compensatory picks based on players lost the previous year. The league takes into account compensatory free agents salary, playing time, and post-season honors.
The Browns originally had eleven total picks, but are now at ten due to the trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for Quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Browns gave up pick 164 in the fifth round. This leaves a 75 pick gap for the Browns-their next pick is in the sixth round at 179 overall. They have four picks total in the sixth round, which could give them ammunition to move up into the fifth round if they choose to do so. Here is the finalized list of Browns draft picks:
First Round: Pick #2
Second Round: Pick #33
Third Round: Pick #67, #94
Fourth Round: Pick #104
Sixth Round: Pick #179, #192, #200, #216 (comp pick)
Seventh Round: Pick #254 (comp pick)
With ten picks, the Browns have the ability to add young, ready-made talent at the top of the draft and the flexibility to tap into the developmental skill sets later in the draft. Especially in the 2025 prospect class, there is a deep crop of running backs and defensive line talent that the Browns can target later while they grab top-end players early. As I mentioned earlier, they also have plenty of picks to use to move around the board and even move up if someone they like begins to slip down the draft.
The Browns could potentially use one of the mid-round picks for trade bait as well. They already spent their fifth on Kenny Pickett. Andrew Berry has shown a propensity to target wide receivers using mid-round picks and could have a few on his radar again this year, especially after a career year from Jerry Jeudy. They sent the Denver Broncos their 2024 fifth and sixth round picks. Amari Cooper was acquired via a trade as well; the Browns sent their 2022 fifth round picks and swapped 2022 sixth round picks with Dallas. In between Cooper and Jeudy, Andrew Berry traded for Elijah Moore from the Jets, sending New York a 2023 second rounder for Moore and a 2023 third rounder.
I do not expect the Browns to use all ten picks in 2024. They need to add talent and get younger across the roster, but I have a feeling that Andrew Berry will use a few more picks to either trade for depth or move around the board and add capital for future drafts. I'd expect the Browns to draft seven or eight players, not ten.
How would you use these picks to get the Browns back into the playoffs?