As he does every year, general manager Andrew Berry sat down with the media to give his pre-draft press conference. With the 2023 NFL draft now less than a week away, the Cleveland Browns will be looking to maximize their eight draft picks despite not having a first or second round pick.
He discussed free agency, his philosophy on making trades, the Browns’ draft board, and more. What can we take away from Berry’s presser? We highlight five points that stood out as he and his team prepare to welcome another group of young players to the Browns.
We dive in here. All quotes can be found in the transcript provided for Berry’s presser.
The Browns are not looking for day-one contributors in the draft
“I think every general manager in this sport has to have a foot in the present and a foot in the future.”
Despite the public perception, the NFL draft is meant to add talent for the future. In some cases, teams even ease in first round picks into their starting lineup to make their transition from the college level to the NFL level stress-free. And for a team that does not have a single pick in the top 70 of the 2023 NFL draft, Andrew Berry is looking for players who can bring value to the roster further down the road than the 2023 season.
“Ideally, you want to be in a position as a roster where you’re not relying on rookies to have major roles… We really want to make sure that as we’re in this lifecycle of the team, we’re in a position where younger players can maybe intergrade into the NFL and develop in the NFL at maybe more of an appropriate pace.”
The Browns addressed their starting roles in free agency so that no rookie selected in the middle rounds is forced to start right away. A defensive tackle may find a rotational role. An edge rusher will contribute on a rotational basis, and a wide receiver will do the same if selected. However, outside of injuries, the Browns will not put a rookie in a position to see significant snaps like Alex Wright had…
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