Browns must avoid risky NFL Draft strategy to solve QB problems

With the 2025 NFL Draft days away, not much is known about how the first round will unfold. In previous years, analysts were able to map out the first three to five picks. This year, the only sure thing is Cam Ward going first overall to the Tennessee Titans. That means the draft will really get started when the Cleveland Browns are on the clock with the second-overall pick.

Cleveland, like the New York Giants who have the third-overall pick, desperately need a quarterback of the future. However, no one expects either team to select the second- and third-best quarterback prospects at two and three over Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter— the two players who are the consensus top two prospects.

Instead of drafting a quarterback in the top three, draft analysts have floated the idea of the Browns and Giants taking Hunter and Carter, then trading up into the end of the first round to find their quarterback. In theory, that sounds like a great idea; the teams will land arguably the best player in the draft and a talented young quarterback.

Unfortunately, history shows that approach is often only good in theory, not reality. That’s especially the case for the Browns, who have utilized that strategy multiple times. Draft analyst Todd McShay recently pointed that out, noting that everyone always highlights when it worked for the Baltimore Ravens with Lamar Jackson, but not how the Browns have unsuccessfully attempted multiple times.

Trading into the end of the first round for a quarterback hasn’t worked out well for the Browns

Cleveland has attempted this strategy three times since 2007. In the 2007 Draft, the Browns took Joe Thomas with the 3rd-overall pick, and got back in the first to get Brady Quinn. It happened again in 2012 when Cleveland selected Trent Richardson at three and Brandon Weeden at No. 22, then one more time in 2014, when Justin Gilbert was selected at eight, and Johnny Manziel went at 22. As everyone knows, those situations didn’t work out well.

While McShay highlighted this to talk about the unsuccessful hit rate of the strategy, it also served as a Browns’ commentary, acknowledging their struggles to either select the right quarterback or adequately develop one. Whatever the true issue is, it doesn’t seem like it will serve Cleveland well to trade up into the end of the first round for a quarterback.