The Cleveland Browns are adding nine players to the squad after this past weekend’s NFL Draft. The team added some depth to the roster and found a kicker, but failed to unload their former quarterback.
Commentator Terry Pluto says this was a much different draft for the Browns than in recent years.
"This is more of a volume draft. They didn't have any first round picks because of the Deshaun Watson trade," Pluto said.
Pluto discussed a few of the players that stand out to him.
1. Martin Emerson, cornerback, Mississippi State
"I'm looking at his bio, and I had done a story a few months ago when the University of Akron hired Joe Moorhead as head football coach. [Moorhead] coached at Mississippi State when Emerson was there. So I called up Moorhead, and I said, 'The Browns took your guy. What did you think?' He said, 'I grew up in Pittsburgh, a Steelers fan. This guy's good. He's going to give my team a hard time,'" Pluto said.
2. David Bell, wide receiver, Purdue
"This is a guy that I liked a lot, who was the Big Ten Receiver of the Year. But he's not fast. He's not super athletic. So their feeling was in the third round. They got this guy, and he could really get a chance. As they say, [he can] kind of be a polished product. Get in there to play right away," Pluto said.
3. Cade York, kicker, LSU
"This is the third time they drafted a kicker since 2017. They've been going through kicker after kicker. The Browns targeted this guy who kicked 15 field goals from 50 yards or more. They took him in the fourth round, which is extremely high for a kicker. He's supposed to be great. We're going to find out. But I will give the Browns credit for saying he's the best kicker in the draft, and we don't care that draft experts will say that's too high to draft a kicker. We want him," Pluto said.
Overall draft assessment
"They got some guys that are going to help. But they're not predicting stardom for any of these guys. Usually if you are taking a player from a third round out, you are in what they call roll player territory. It's not starter territory," Pluto said.
What about Baker Mayfield?
Meanwhile, the Browns still have quarterback Baker Mayfield on the roster, who they've moved on from after bringing in Deshaun Watson. So what happens now with Mayfield?
"Baker is making over $18 million a year and coming off a terrible year. They know the Browns are desperate to get rid of him. Teams are not interested in giving up much of anything for him. So, we'll see what happens. I think at some point they'll find a team to take him. The Browns may have to pay part of the salary, but he's still here," Pluto said.
What about Kent State's Dustin Crum?
Last week Pluto talked about Dustin Crum, the Kent State quarterback who was trying his luck in the draft. He went undrafted. So now what happens?
"He became what's called an undrafted free agent. The guys that were on the verge of being drafted but weren't picked can get calls from several teams. The team Crum picked to go to was the Kansas City Chiefs. So he'll walk into camp and be one of five quarterbacks."
One of those quarterbacks is Patrick Mahomes.
"Probably the best in the NFL, and [Crum is] not going beat him out. The veteran is an older guy named Chad Henne. What Dustin will want to do is be a third or fourth quarterback. You make the team, you're on the practice squad, you kind of hang around and then you see what happens. If you want to learn how to be an NFL quarterback, it's a good place to go," Pluto said.
