Mid March 1st Round

The Browns should look to maximize their number of picks by trading down multiple times in this round. The first target should be a trade to the Minnesota Vikings at the #7 slot, who are in desperate need of a WR or a QB and would be eyeing Calvin Johnson or Brady Quinn. Trading down to this spot would get us their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounder according to the pick value chart.

Not stopping there. The Browns should ship the pick to the 49ers who are looking hard at DTs Alan Branch and Amobi Okoye. To make this trade the Browns would receive the 49ers 1st, 3rd, and 6th round picks.

Then the Browns should finally trade down from the 11th spot to the 16th pick of the Packers. The Packers will be looking to leapfrog Buffalo, who is looking for a RB, to select Marshawn Lynch. For this the Browns would receive the Packers 1st, 3rd, and 5th round picks.

With the 16th pick the Browns should pick OT Levi Brown of Penn State if he is somehow still on the board. However since that is not likely, the team should select CB Chris Houston of Arkansas. Houston jumped into the middle of the 1st round with his amazing numbers at the combine, posting sub 4.35 40s, great quickness, and strength surpassing most LBs. Houston is not limited to being a workout warrior either. He shut down such notable WRs as Dwayne Jarrett, Earl Bennett, Dallas Baker, Dwayne Bowe, Robert Meachem, and Courtney Taylor. The only WR who got the best of Houston this year was Sidney Rice. Houston will be a great, tough, cover corner who will also come up and defend the run on the edge.

Net of picks. Acquired 41st pick in 2nd round, 72nd, 76th, and 78th in 3rd, 147th in 5th, and 171st in the 6th.

Pre-FA, Pre-combine. Round 1

With the 3rd pick (hoping the coin comes up the right way) I was quite enamored with Joe Thomas at the that spot. Until of course I found out that his arms are only 32 inches, which is quite short for a LT and would really hamper his ability to get his hands onto faster speed rushers or stronger bull rushers. With that said, I also do not want to spend this pick on a RB or a QB. Whats left then...trading down and acquiring more picks since the Browns have more holes than anyone else, it makes a lot of sense.

The first trade down would be to move from the 3rd pick to the Vikings 7th spot in exchange for their 2nd rounder. They will want to do this move to leapfrog Tampa Bay in order to select Calvin Johnson, a once in a decade WR, or even if they foolishly want Brady Quinn this high.

The second trade down would be to slide into the SF 11th spot in exchange for their 3rd rounder (which might be needed to acquire David Carr). They will do this move in order to move up and select Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson or Jamal Anderson, DE, Arkansas, whichever of the two has fallen to the 7th spot. This trade could also be made with Miami for their 9th pick so that they can move up and select Quinn or one of the talented defensive lineman.

With the 11th or 9th pick, depending on how it shakes out, the Browns should first look at Levi Brown, LT, Penn St. He is much more athletic than Joe Thomas and has the requisite arm length the be a great player. Right now his pass blocking technique is mediocre, but that can be fixed with simple footwork lessons as Brown is more than athletic to accomplish the feat. Brown is also a dominant run blocker that manhandles DEs.

If Brown is unavailable, the next option would be G/T Justin Blalock, Texas, who some see at different positions. I feel he would be a dominant guard with his quickness and athleticism. Adding him would be a valuable addition to the O-line.

The net effect of these trades would leave the Brown with two high 2nd rounders and two high 3rd rounders which will be very valuable in filling some of the many, many holes on the team.