Every NFL team’s worst trade of all-time (Updated)
By Randy Gurzi
Cleveland Browns: The entire 2014 NFL Draft
There have been many problems in the front office for the Cleveland Browns since they returned to the NFL in 1999. Most of their issues have been with the draft, where they’ve struggled to find solid players. They’ve also been really bad when it comes to making moves in the draft.
Fortunately for this passionate fan base, new general manager John Dorsey seems significantly better in this area, but the struggle was obvious for years. The worst case for them was easily the 2014 NFL Draft.
This is when the Browns started things off by trading down with the Buffalo Bills. They saw Buffalo take Sammy Watkins at No. 4 overall, as they dropped to No. 9. Not content there, Cleveland decided to jump up one spot, as they took cornerback Justin Gilbert at No. 8. Then they made another move, as they jumped back into the first round for none other than quarterback Johnny Manziel.
To sum it up, the Browns started with the No. 4 pick in a stacked draft that included Watkins, Khalil Mack, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Jr., Aaron Donald and Zack Martin. Instead of taking any of those players, they ended up with Gilbert and Manziel.
While all the above-listed players are among the best at their respective positions, both Gilbert and Manziel are out of the NFL. Manziel was a huge washout that wanted to party more than play football and is now trying to reclaim his glory in the CFL. Gilbert was shipped off for a sixth-round pick and never really caught on with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s really no way to have played this draft any worse than the Browns did. And it explains why they’ve been stuck in their own quagmire of misery for so many years.