Browns make blockbuster trade for No. 1 pick to draft QB in proposed deal

The draft is coming in hot for the Cleveland Browns, and they're set to make a pick that'll ideally reshape the franchise. At 2nd overall, they can take a game changer in either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, since the Tennessee Titans seem like a lock to select Cam Ward 1st overall.

Ward would've been an incredible pick for the Browns. They're just as desperate for a quarterback as the Titans are, and Ward is the consensus top pick in the draft. His talent is undeniable, and he can become a top quarterback in the league in the right system. Compared to the rest of this year's quarterback class, he's in a league of his own.

So, what if the Browns recognized this by Thursday evening and decided to put together a massive package for Ward instead of just standing at No. 2 overall? It's an idea that was proposed by Sports Illustrated staff writer Matt Verderame in a huge mock trade piece ahead of the draft on April 24.

Proposed blockbuster trade would send Ward to Browns for boatload of picks

Verderame proposed in his mock trade involving the Browns and Titans that the Browns would send Tennessee the 2nd, 33rd, 67th, 104th, and 200th overall picks in exchange for the 1st overall pick. That's the Browns' entire Day 2 in exchange for Ward.

"Tennessee has to relinquish the opportunity to draft Ward, but also gets a bunch of draft picks to give it 12 total in the draft, including six in the top 105. As for the Browns, they get Ward, who they hope will finally answer the never-ending question of franchise quarterback in Cleveland," wrote Verderame.

On the surface, this sounds like a ridiculous gamble on Ward being a bonafide starter in Year 1. He isn't exactly considered the best quarterback prospect to come out of the draft in years, and is actually thought to be slightly lower ranked than many quarterbacks taken atop the draft last year - think Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, and Drake Maye.

Cleveland would still hold their 94th pick, and could make something shake out with their many sixth rounders. But, even just writing that sounds depressing. They'd be relinquishing so many opportunities at great positional players for the possibility of snagging a great quarterback who isn't even considered a historically great prospect.

If general manager Andrew Berry liked Ward that much, he'd certaintly take the swing. But, based on how he and owner Jimmy Haslam have spoken about the mistake of trading for Deshaun Watson in recent weeks, it feels obvious that Cleveland's avoiding blockbuster trades for players that aren't sure-things for a while.