After an abysmal 0-16 season, the Browns have kicked it in gear. Despite NFL free agency, the main period where off-season moves occur, starting on March 14, the Browns got a headstart by conducting three trades recently.
After many years of being regarded as a location where players' careers go to die, the Browns may have finally begun to right the ship. While not the flashiest move of the three conducted, the trade for former Bills' quarterback Tyrod Taylor may have the greatest ramifications for the future of the team.
Clearing the way for Saquon Barkley
Up until the point following the recent trades, the direction the Browns would take with the number one pick in the 2018 draft had been highly debatable. When a team holding the number one pick the draft doesn't have a franchise quarterback, popular opinion among draft experts has them taking a quarterback at that number one spot. With the recent acquisition of Tyrod Taylor though, the Browns suddenly are not starving at the quarterback position.
After leading the Bills to their first playoff season in 17 years, Tyrod Taylor proved teams could indeed win with him at the helm, and right now the Browns would be grateful for a few of those wins. While he is not the long-term answer for the Browns, they are no longer desperate for the quarterback position.
This frees them up to take the best player available in the draft instead of reaching for a position out of need. That player is the generational talent of Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.
A pressing need for game-changing talent
A team's success is often displayed in how well a head coach can exude his talents and understanding of the game upon the team.
In similar veins as Sean McVay (Rams), Doug Peterson (Eagles), and Andy Reid (Chiefs), Hugh Jackson (Browns) is a gifted offensive-minded head coach. Unlike the others mentioned though, he has a dearth of talent on his team. With the addition of Tyrod Taylor, newly acquired wide receiver Jarvis Landry from another trade, and the superb talent of wide receiver Josh Gordon in tow, the Browns are missing one more element to create a truly dynamic offense.
Saquon Barkley fills that need. Mirroring the abilities of Pro Bowl running back David Johnson and Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk as a dual-threat back, Barkley adds an explosive dimension to the Browns' offense in terms of both rushing and receiving. After years of draft mistakes with players, the 2018 season looks to be the one where the Browns could get it right as long as they simply take the best player in the draft, Saquon Barkley.
