Good News
In the first legitimate good news for the Cleveland Browns since, well, the late 1980s, the team has won its coin flip with Tampa Bay. It will choose third in next month's draft.
Think I'm being negative, right?
Picking third rather than fourth is a big deal, not because of who the Browns could take, but because their ability to trade down is amplified.
Of course, that's probably wishful thinking. If I could take anyone, it'd be Joe Thomas from Wisconsin, because the Browns need to build the offensive line. But he could be doomed to Detroit.
If they can't get Thomas, I hope the Browns trade the pick. Assuming Oakland takes JaMarcus Russell with the first pick, that leaves Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson as the best athlete available.
Peterson may very well go on to be a star. But without an offensive line and a history of injuries, he'll be a sitting duck in brown and orange.
The Browns need more than minor tweaking. They need a long-term building process. That means stockpiling talent. That's why getting No. 3 was important. If they waste the pick on Peterson, they are asking for trouble.