Before I get started I'd just like to point out that the purpose of this article is to demonstrate to fans that are frustrated with their team's Draft philosophy, saying they don't trade down enough, that if your scouting department doesn't do a good enough job, wheeling and dealing might actually be more hurtful than just doing the obvious thing and drafting best player available or based on need.
Here is a list of players:
QB Carson Wentz
WR Julio Jones
Edge Justin Houston
LB Anthony Barr
QB Deshaun Watson
LT Matt Kalil
RT Jack Conklin
LB Bernardrick McKinney
K Blair Walsh
Every single one of these athletes with the exception of Jack Conklin went to the Pro Bowl. That doesn't mean much as Kalil only made it once as a replacement because Trent Williams couldn't play, but it's a simple way to show that they are all great players. Walsh was when he first came in at least.
What else do they all have in common?
They were all picked during the past decade in the Draft and more importantly, all nine players were drafted with picks that were received in trades with the Cleveland Browns. Every single one.
The Cleveland Browns have had one of the worst decades in the history of football and as is the case with many franchises that fail to win, it all begins with the Draft.
Most of you probably saw the movie "Draft Day" starring Kevin Costner as the GM of the Browns that after a bunch of moves in the Draft builds his team like he wants and gets multiple talented players. Those moves were clearly unrealistic to anyone that follows football, but the real life franchise has done basically done that only to achieve the opposite result.
Through all of their General Managers and Head Coaches since 2010 Cleveland has mastered the art of getting screwed on Draft day trades. It's so bad it almost makes their fans wish Dave Gettleman was their GM or Paul Brown owned the team.
To compare the franchise with the movie except on polar opposites when it comes to success rate is if anything an understatement. Take a look at this.
From 2010 to 2018
When the Browns actually traded up in the first round, they picked;
DT: Phil Taylor Sr. (2011): Going up from 26 to 21 also cost Cleveland a third round pick.
(The Chiefs used the third rounder to select Justin Houston)
RB Trent Richardson (2012): CLE gave up a first rounder (#4), a fourth and a firth for the third pick overall used on the Alabama Running Back.
(Minnesota used two of those picks to draft Matt Kalil and Blair Walsh)
CB Justin Gilbert (2014): CLE traded it's first rounder (#9) and a fifth for Minnesota's pick at #8 overall.
(The Vikings drafted Anthony Barr with the ninth pick)
PS: Between picks 5-17 every single player made the Pro Bowl except for Gilbert.
QB Johnny Manziel (2014): Somehow the Browns managed to get someone else to give them a first rounder for Trent Richardson, the Colts during the 2013 season, only to flip that pick plus a third rounder to move up four spots and draft Johnny Manziel at #22 overall.
There is no need to get into statistics. These were three busts.
When the Browns traded down:
2011 6th Pick: The Falcons selected WR Julio Jones.
(The highlight between the picks that the Browns received was Brandon Weeden, they used the first rounder from Atlanta of the following year on him)
2014 4th pick: The Bills drafted WR Sammy Watkins.
(While Watkins failed to live up to the hype, he has been a solid contributor in the NFL and Cleveland picked Center Cameron Erving with the first rounder in the following Draft while using the one from 14 to trade up for Justin Gilbert)
2015 43rd pick: LB Bernardrick McKinney.
(The Browns went down a few spots to acquire an extra fourth, basically, and lost out on a pretty solid player)
2016 2nd pick: QB Carson Wentz.
(They needed a Quarterback and yet felt like stockpiling picks was the best option)
8th pick: RT Jack Conklin.
(The pick that belonged to the Eagles was also traded and with the first rounder from Tennessee, the Browns selected bust WR Corey Coleman. Another highlight of this trade was the second rounder later used on DeShone Kizer in another Draft where they needed a QB and didn't pick one in the first round)
2017 12th pick: QB Deshaun Watson.
(The Browns got back a couple of first rounders used on Jabril Peppers and Denzel Ward, but does it really matter? It was Deshaun Watson)
To be totally fair Cleveland actually made one good trade by using their cap space they acquired a second rounder used to select Running Back, Nick Chubb, by taking on the Brock Osweiller contract from Houston.
For all of you all out there that think trading down and always trying to outsmart the other 31 GMs is almost always a good idea, remember that not everyone is Bill Belichick and if you don't do it properly you might end up like the Cleveland Browns.
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