The lead-up to the 2016 NFL Draft is shaping up to be some sort of combination of dominoes, chess and poker.
The first domino fell Thursday. The Tennessee Titans traded the No. 1 overall pick in the draft to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, the Rams sent the Titans a bunch of picks, including their first-round selection this year and next.
Indirectly, the blockbuster might have affected the Cleveland Browns as much or more than the two teams directly involved. The Browns desperately need a quarterback. Cleveland looked like it was sitting pretty at No. 2 assuming Tennessee kept the top pick, as the Titans don’t need a quarterback.
That meant the Browns would have had their choice of any of the top quarterback prospects, most notably Carson Wentz or Jared Goff. However, the Rams are expected to draft a quarterback, which puts the Browns in a bad spot, as Los Angeles could take the QB that Cleveland intended on drafting.
Here’s where the chess (and the poker) comes into play. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that if the Rams take the quarterback the Browns coveted, Cleveland ultimately could trade the No. 2 pick.
One team to keep an eye on, per Rapoport? The Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles currently hold the No. 8 pick, but if they want one of those two quarterbacks bad enough to make a big offer, Cleveland obviously would have to listen. Then again, that doesn’t do much to solve the Browns’ quarterback issues.
The first round of the 2016 NFL Draft takes place April 28.
Thumbnail photo via Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports Images
