Off-season thoughts (Vol. XXIII)

It's one of the necessary requirements leading up to the National Football League's annual college football draft. A week before the lottery, league general managers and/or personnel people face the media to share their thoughts.

Well, share might not be the operative verb in these cases. People in charge of the draft are generally close-mouthed -- after all this is the season where prevarication runs rampant in the industry -- and nothing can (should?) be taken seriously.

So when Browns General Manager Andrew Berry took center stage Friday afternoon, there was no way anyone came away knowing for certain what will unfold from a Cleveland standpoint in the league's three-day extravaganza next weekend in Las Vegas.

The media's guessing game goes on. The only absolute -- that, too, is subject to change -- is the Browns for the next three drafts will be spectators in the opening round, having mortgaged a sizable chunk of their future for the (sarcasm alert) privilege (end sarcasm alert) of signing quarterback Deshaun Watson.

One question Berry faced dealt with the possibility of trading up, perhaps as high as the end of the first round, to grab someone who might not be there at No. 44 in the second round. The GM danced all around the answer. 

"I would say candidly it's unlikely," he replied initially, then coyly hedged his bets. "But I don't want to say anything is absolute because you never know how situations arise." Which leaves us right where we were prior to the question. 

In last year's draft, for example, the Browns seriously contemplated selecting linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah at the tailend of the first round before settling on cornerback Greg Newsome II. And when JOK remained on the board in round two, Berry traded up seven spots to get him.

Maybe that's one of those situations that arise as the draft unfolds that Berry referred to. Also happened in the 2020 draft when safety Grant Delpit, thought to be a sure first-round pick, slipped into the second round. Berry quickly swooped in and took  him at 44.

As he said, there are no absolutes when it comes to the annual crapshoot.  It was right there in his answer. This becomes a three-day you never know what is going to happen and you better be ready to make the right decisions exercise.

That being said and Berry's deft parry to the original question aside, I believe it's in his DNA to somehow wrangle his way into position to make his initial choice somewhere either earlier in the second round or late in the opening round.

He needs at least one wide receiver for his new quarterback -- it's a deep and talented wideout class -- and some interior help along the defensive line. There will be plenty of both at the end of the opening round. That's where I suspect he'll pounce.

The Seattle Seahawks have concessive picks at 40 and 41 in round two. But that might not be high enough for Berry. The Kansas City Chiefs, however,  have back-to-back picks at 29 and 30 in round one and they'll probably use one to plug a hole vacated following the trade of wideout Tyreek Hill.

It's the second Chiefs next pick Berry might have in his crosshairs. It could mean surrendering a future pick or two, but would immediately improve an area that needs help. Unless I miss my guess, he knows his wide receivers room needs to be improved. 

There's not much there after Amari Cooper, a clear WR1 with the Browns who would be a WR2 on many other clubs. And that is why a possible return of Jarvis Landry, currently playing footsie with the New Orleans Saints, remains a possibility. The WR room improves dramatically if he returns.

That hypothetical possibility would change the roster dynamic and could be a determining factor in deciding what Berry does with his first pick if he stays put at 44. Maybe that's what he meant by his "you never know how situations arise" comment.

Berry dealt with other issues during the session, but none as important as the main reason for the get together with the media.