The Cleveland Browns have to do some planning for their long-term future in the 2024 NFL draft.
The Browns need to find some gems, starting with the No. 54 overall pick, to provide more depth on offense while also preparing for the potential departures of Amari Cooper and Nick Chubb in the coming years.
Cooper’s five-year contract comes to an end after the 2024 season and there could be concerns about Chubb coming off an ACL injury.
The second and third rounds are the perfect spots for the Browns to land long-term replacements at running back and wide receiver, but they must find the right fits.
Cleveland can’t just take the best player available at either position. It must find the perfect fit for its system, which will lead to it avoiding certain players.
Xavier Legette
Jonathon Brooks
The Browns can’t take a risk on a prospect coming off a torn ACL.
Jonathon Brooks must be viewed as a player to avoid in the second or third round because of the Browns’ current running back situation.
The last thing Cleveland wants is to have Chubb and his young backup not at full strength in the first few weeks because they are getting back to game speed.
Brooks was projected as the No. 56 pick in the latest mock draft from B/R’s NFL scouting department.
He could drop into the third round if NFL teams have concerns about him reaching full strength right away after the ACL tear.
If Chubb was coming off a healthy season, the Browns might have been willing to take a risk on Brooks, but they simply can’t do that in their current situation.
Braelon Allen
Braelon Allen presents NFL teams with a fascinating profile.
The Wisconsin product was a standout from the time he entered the Badgers program, but that also means he comes into the professional ranks with a ton of carries on his legs.
Allen had at least 180 carries in each of his three seasons at Wisconsin.
Allen recorded a double-digit touchdown total in all three years and he was 16 yards in 2023 away from three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
The numbers are consistent, but he could be viewed as a risk by certain NFL teams because of how often he carried the ball in Wisconsin’s run-first offense.
The Browns could be better suited landing Florida State’s Trey Benson, who had just over 300 collegiate carries, or Notre Dame’s Audric Estime, who just had two seasons of heavy work.
