Browns Trade #2 Draft Pick to Eagles; Browns Move to #8

The Cleveland Browns will have the number eight pick at the NFL draft next Thursday.  This week the team traded its number two position to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a first round pick next year and other additional picks.   That means the Browns likely sacrificed a chance at one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft. 

At a press conference Thursday, the team’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown said the extra picks would help the team roster as a whole.

"You know, we’ve taken first round quarterbacks previously, those haven’t panned out. Some very high here in Cleveland.  We know that quarterbacks come from different parts in the draft.  There’s no guarantees even if you take a guy at one or two.  And we felt like where our roster was, the better decision was to acquire the first next year, the second in ’18 and 2 additional picks here and still be picking at 8.  So we like where we’re sitting."

Brown said the team already has four quarterbacks who will be competing for the starting position -- including the newly-signed former Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III.  Brown did not rule out further deal-making that would move the team up or down in next week’s draft.