Need for speed satisfied

For those out there in Browns Nation who make the National Football League college draft the biggest event of their year, relax. Settle down. You're going to have to wait until the third round for the second straight year to find out who falls into their lap.

They will never admit it, but the Browns acted out of desperation when they shipped their lone second-round selection this year to the New York Jets (No. 42) Wednesday for speedy wide receiver Elijah Moore and the Jets' third-rounder (No. 74), which ostensibly (with General Manager Andrew Berry, you never know) will be their initial pick of eight overall selections.

Why desperate? Because the free-agent wide receiver apparently did not appeal to them. Because the new wide receiver draft class is unusually weak. And because the Browns need a third receiver who can stretch the field and keep opposing defenses honest. 

Berry last season shipped pick 44 in the second round to Houston for a third (cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.) and two fourths (defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey and kicker Cade York). Emerson stepped right in and did not disappoint, even though he was picked on most of the season. He proved an excellent tackler.

Winfrey, who won many fans with a garrulous reaction to being drafted by the Browns with a social media bombast, found that transitioning successfully to the NFL required a lot more than putting on a show before putting on a uniform. York, who arrived with the pressure of expected to be near perfect because of his impressive college resumé, had a humbling rookie season. 

Berry, forced to turn to calling his fellow GMs after he finally discovered how weak he was at wide receiver, reportedly put Denver wideout Jerry Jeudy in his crosshairs, but the Broncos, again reportedly, demurred. That's when Moore more prominently entered the picture.

Moore, who requested to be traded last season when he believed he was being misused as a slot receiver and slowly wore out his welcome, finally had his wish granted when the Jets procured wide receiver Mecole Hardman from Kansas City Wednesday to replace him.

The newest Brown, who checks in at a half inch under 5-10 and about 180 pounds, was drafted second by the Jets in 2021 and should fit right in and provide the kind of production Berry expected from Anthony Schwartz, who has produced next to nothing for the last two seasons.

Expecting the next Tyreek Hill, the Browns instead got a world-class track athlete (4.25 in the 40) masquerading as a football player. The Browns should just admit they blew it with Schwartz and move on, making him an ex-Brown in the process.

Moore, who has banked a 4.32 in the 40, is a football player who happens to be quick and fast. He scored nearly half of his 188 career receptions, 16 career touchdowns and 2,400 career yards in the final of his three seasons at Ole Miss.

He arrived in the NFL with the reputation of playing anywhere. Good hands, smooth route runner, twitchy, not afraid of running crossing routes and, best of all, extremely competitive. Sounds like a younger, smaller, faster Jarvis Landry.

Mississippi used him mostly from the slot, but threw to him often unlike the Jets, who targeted him just 65 times last season. He responded with 37 receptions for 446 yards, one touchdown and 22 first downs.

With Deshaun Watson throwing to him now instead of Zach Wilson, Mike White or Joe Flacco, the Browns no doubt expect those figures to improve. It will also take pressure off Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones.

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More good news arrived with the return of middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., who signed a one-year contract after testing the free-agent market. Good news because the Cleveland defense was never the same after Walker suffered a torn quad tendon in game three last season.

The locker room lacked a presence, a leader. No one stepped up to fill the void. Walker fits that mold. He was the signal-caller on defense. For whatever reason last season, that defense played on its heels in his absence. The lack of aggression was palpable.

If he has fully recovered from the gruesome injury, Walker's return definitely will make a big difference in the defense this season, especially with new coordinator Jim Schwartz taking full advantage of what the veteran does best. 

With Walker's return, the Browns now appear fairly well set at linebacker with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Jacob Phillips, Sione Takitaki, Tony Fields II, Deion Jones and possibly Reggie Ragland returning. Caution: That doesn't mean Berry won't take one in the lottery if the board dictates otherwise.