The 2025 NFL Draft is officially less than a month away.
This event has been the center of attention for NFL analysts and fans since the Super Bowl concluded, as it’s the next big event taking place for this league.
Every team in the league could use an infusion of talent, but some teams are in a much worse position than others, needing their draft picks to hit if they want to compete in 2025.
The Cleveland Browns are one of those teams, having holes at several positions that they’d like to fill sooner rather than later, especially with their cap situation being suboptimal.
Adding the right quarterback, edge-rusher, or another position is crucial for their success moving forward.
Staying at No. 2 could certainly help them add to those positions, but Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently proposed a trade between the Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders that could be mutually beneficial for both teams.
Browns get: 1-6, 2-37, 2026 fourth-round pick, TE Michael Mayer
Raiders get: 1-2, 2027 fifth-round pick (conditional)
“The Browns undoubtedly want to add a star player with the No. 2 pick, but they need more cost-controlled talent across the board because of the aftereffects of the Watson trade. Moving down and adding extra picks makes sense, especially if they can add another 2026 selection. By dropping down four spots, they could still draft an impact player at No. 6, land another top-40 pick and get a buy-low candidate in Mayer, who would pair well with David Njoku,” Barnwell wrote.
In this situation, as Barnwell indicates, with the Browns being in such a poor cap situation thanks to Deshaun Watson, it might make more sense to move back a few picks to acquire more draft capital.
Mayer was a dominant player in college who hasn’t necessarily made a name for himself in the NFL, but playing alongside and learning from David Njoku could work wonders for his career trajectory.
More picks wouldn’t hurt the Browns either, so it will be interesting to see if they’ll pull the trigger on a move of this magnitude.
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