BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns don't seem inclined to trade down out of the first pick in the draft, but the possibility of a trade up from the 12th spot remains intriguing.
The team held its pre-draft media gathering on Wednesday, and while Sashi Brown and Andrew Berry were expansive in some answers, they were rightfully protective when it came to discussing specifics on what they might do.
They would not say whom they're taking first overall, though they said little to diminish the belief that defensive end Myles Garrett remains the obvious choice.
They're not going to say that they would take a quarterback in the first round, for good reason, nor which quarterback they would favor, also for good reason.
However, given the options on the roster, the Browns are almost obligated to draft a quarterback high. Whether it's first overall, with a trade up from 12, 12th overall or late in the first round via a trade up from the second or even in the second round, it is tough to imagine the Browns not adding a player at the team's most important position.
The choice about who and when gets into philosophy and approach. If NFL teams were determined to take the best player available, the Browns might not take a quarterback in the first round because many believe these quarterbacks are first-round reaches. Given that the draft has had a year (2011) that included Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder as first-round quarterbacks, and another (2016) in which Jared Goff and Carson Wentz went from not being worthy of the top 10 to being taken first and second, it's obvious the position has a premium.
Need and ability have meshed with the "best player on the board" thinking to form a slightly modified draft approach.
“All of that comes into consideration," Berry, the Browns' vice president of player personnel, said. "Overall talent, positional value and need on the current roster. It really just depends on the circumstance. It depends on where you are picking in the round and what other opportunities may be available later in the draft, depending on how deep a particular position is. Really, it just depends on the individual situation.
"I know that is probably not as satisfying an answer as you hoped for, but it is the truth.”
Kudos for the candor. Some would have insisted that a player should always be taken at the spot where the team values him. Others would have said best available regardless.
"We would make the decision that really moves the roster forward the best," Berry said.
Garrett appears to be that guy at the first spot. After that pick, the Browns have to decide if the available quarterbacks best move the roster forward. That discussion will be interesting if it is between one of the quarterbacks or players like tight end O.J. Howard of Alabama or safety Malik Hooker of Ohio State.
The Browns then have to decide if they can wait to take a Mitchell Trubisky or Deshaun Watson at the 12th pick, or if they need to trade up to get him. ESPN's Mel Kiper has said that if the Browns believe Trubisky is their guy, they should move up aggressively -- probably into the top five because the New York Jets may take a quarterback sixth. The Browns clearly prefer to stockpile picks. They and the Cincinnati Bengals each have 11 picks, most in the draft, and the Browns have five of the top 65 picks. Those picks could be used to add young talent or to move up to get a guy the Browns target.
“We are open to it," Brown said. "Generally, we value picks. We think no matter how prepared you are, there is always a lot of uncertainty in the draft. Every team misses. We are not going to be different in that regard. We like young talent. We have said the draft is going to be the pipeline.
"We don’t want to get into a habit of turning two picks into one, so to speak. We just don’t think that is a good way to do business over time. We have studied this around the league, and it is just our inclination.
"It does not mean that if there is a player there we might not go take a shot. We think we are positioned to be able to do that without impacting our draft much.”