Heavily rumored to be considering a trade-down move from No. 6, the Browns found a taker and flipped the pick to the Chiefs in exchange for third- and fifth-rounders. The Chiefs took LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, leaving the Browns with considered one of their preferred prospects on offense at No. 9.
GM Andrew Berry had already asked Chiefs counterpart Brett Veach if he would use No. 6 on offense or defense; after hearing the Kansas City front office boss’ answer, Berry could be assured of considered one of the team’s three preferred offensive prospects being available at 9.
The Browns felt comfortable with that three-spot slide on account of interest in Jordyn Tyson, Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa, as detailed by ESPN’s The Pick Is In special (h/t ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi). While it’s unclear if the Browns would have taken Tyson above Fano at 9, the Saints took the play out of their hands by grabbing the Arizona State wide receiver at 8.
Browns-Tyson rumors didn’t flow into heavily before draft weekend, as essentially the most recent tie got here from an early-March “30” visit. The Browns kept their Tyson interest under wraps, though we did hear some teams preferred his upside to Carnell Tate‘s. The Titans weren’t amongst that group, as they selected Tate fourth overall. The Browns addressed receiver with their second and third draft selections, taking Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion and Washington’s Denzel Boston at Nos. 24 and 39.
Cleveland was closely tied to wanting a tackle in Round 1, and the team got here away with Fano. The team selected Fano over Mauigoa, whom the Giants drafted one spot later. Fano got here as a cleaner prospect, with Mauigoa’s disk issue affecting his draft stock.
The Browns declined two Cowboys offers for No. 9, with Dallas initially proposing Nos. 12 and 20 for Nos. 9 and 24. Berry labeled that first offer light, before Cowboys COO Stephen Jones tacked on a fifth-rounder (h/t Oyefusi) to the proposal. The Browns stayed at 9 and drafted Fano, who’s ticketed to be the team’s left tackle. We heard earlier the Browns received calls from NFC teams before Tyson went off the board and that Cleveland declined one other offer for 9. It’s now known the Cowboys made the latter proposal.
The Browns, who gave Fano LT challenger Dawand Jones a pay cut in exchange for upfront guarantees, can have been leery of dropping below the Giants within the draft. Jones said through the ESPN special the Browns were likely nervous concerning the Giants on the subject of a tackle.
The Dolphins loomed at No. 11, inviting a scenario by which each the Browns’ top tackle options were off the board by the point No. 12 got here around. Miami moved down one spot with Dallas, which can have been attempting to outflank Latest York for Caleb Downs — a player ceaselessly linked to Big Blue pre-draft — with its offer for No. 9. However the Cowboys ended up with the Ohio State safety at No. 11. The Dolphins also selected a tackle — Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor — after trading down.
As Tyson joins Chris Olave in Latest Orleans, the Browns rounded out their receiver cadre with Concepcion and Boston. They may accompany Jerry Jeudy, whom Berry said (via Oyefusi) the team won’t be impacted by the team’s first- and second-round wideout selections. Jeudy’s three-year, $52.5MM extension runs through the 2027 season.
“He’s our bell cow,” Berry said of Jeudy. “I believe with receiver rooms you’ll be able to have, perhaps a ball-dominant player or you’ll be able to essentially construct a basketball team with different skillsets. We prefer the second approach. Don’t get me improper, I’ll take Calvin Johnson if he’s on the market. But we feel like we’ve a pleasant, well-rounded room with speed, RAC, contested catch ability, separation. So, we’re really pleased with the youth and talent in that group.”
Boston’s size-oriented outside skillset will complement smaller wideouts like Jeudy and Concepcion. Jeudy has loads of slot experience as well. While the previous Broncos first-rounder is heading into his seventh NFL season, he just turned 27. More prime years should remain, though the Alabama product is coming off a down 2025.
After a Pro Bowl 2024 season that included a belated breakout — 90 catches, 1,229 yards, 4 touchdowns — Jeudy slumped last season (50/602/2 in 17 games). Drops were a difficulty for the upper-crust route runner, however the Browns are planning to provide him one other probability.
It could cost the Browns greater than $22MM to trade Jeudy this 12 months. While they might prorate that over two years by waiting until after June 1, Cleveland’s ceaselessly used contract structure — where base salaries are dropped to the minimum in bonus-flooded accords — would make a trade punitive within the grand scheme. The Browns already paid Jeudy a $6MM option bonus for 2026. The team could have a better time moving off the deal in 2027, but it surely appears Deshaun Watson (or considered one of Cleveland’s second-year arms) could have Jeudy to focus on alongside Concepcion and Boston.
The subject of a second Jeudy trade could resurface on the trade deadline — after it briefly got here up last fall — as his low base salary and nonguaranteed 2027 compensation would make him a pretty chip. However the Browns will proceed their offseason program with Jeudy because the veteran presence alongside the SEC and Big Ten WR prospects.