Browns' third-round picks Siaki Ika and Cedric Tillman had strong advocates beyond GM Andrew Berry. (TheLandOnDemand)
Jim Schwartz, Deshaun Watson had great influence in Browns draft
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns GM Andrew Berry doesn’t like to be typecast.
He doesn’t want to be known for adhering strictly to analytics, even though that’s the case a lot of times.
He refuses to admit he’s attracted to Power 5 conferences, primarily the SEC, even though he is.
He refuses to admit he consciously tried to improve the size of his defensive line, even though he did.
He refuses to admit he’s assembling a quarterbacks room with the same skillsets, even though he is.
He declines to admit he will pick up the fifth-year option of left tackle Jedrick Wills prior to the May 1 deadline, even though he will.
One thing Berry won’t dispute, though, is that he runs his drafts not with an iron fist but with inclusion and collaboration. He seeks the involvement of coaches, staff members, scouts and others. And he certainly did that this year again.
The 2023 Browns draft might come to be known as the Deshaun Watson and Jim Schwartz draft. Their influences, which were prevalent in free agency, extended through Berry’s fourth draft in Cleveland.
Let’s start with Watson.
The quarterback wanted two things in free agency. Experienced and speedy receivers. He got them in Elijah Moore and Marquise Goodwin.
One thing was missing – size. A receiver who can bully and post-up and win his share of 50-50 balls. That’s why Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman became Berry’s first pick of this draft, No. 74 overall, in the third round.
At 6-3 3/8, Tillman was the second-tallest (by an eighth of inch) of the top 20-rated receivers in this draft. At 213 pounds, he was the second-heaviest.
Of the 14 wide receivers on the Browns’ roster, Tillman essentially is the biggest. His height and weight are not exaggerated. He arrived in the Browns media room on Saturday and looked every inch and pound of his advertised measurements.
“I think [my size] makes a big difference, honestly,” Tillman said. “One-on-one, balls in the air, having my body, it’s easy for me to box guys out. Also, in the blocking game, a lot of guys can’t go toe-to-toe with me and when I have the ball in my hands, a lot of corners and safeties don’t want to tackle me. I know that and I just use it to my advantage.”
Now supplied with a diversity of receivers, blending experience with speed and size, Watson has no excuses for not returning to his 2018-20, pre-scandal form.
As for Schwartz, he was influential in Berry upgrading the size of the defensive tackles in free agency. Failing to add either of top two targets, Javon Hargrave and Dre’Mont Jones, Berry signed next-best Dalvin Tomlinson (6-3 and 317 pounds), and then two from the bargain bin, Maurice Hurst (6-1 and 291) and Trysten Hill (6-3 and 310).
Then in the draft, Berry added Baylor’s Siaki Ika (6-2 7/8, 335) with his second pick in the third round, No. 98 overall.
True to form, Berry disputed that Watson and Schwartz had loud voices in the draft.
“I would probably push back a little on both notions,” Berry said. “The idea that Jim is pushing for size, that’s really not true. He’s looking for good football players.
“With Deshaun, I think any team that has a quarterback and feels set at that position, wants to make sure to surround that with individuals that can help accentuate his skillset. I wouldn’t necessarily say we went into it with a specific plan that was going to drive the offense or the other side was going to drive the defense. We were looking for good football players that, ultimately, fit our vision.”
Whatever, AB. Your actions speak louder than your soft-spoken words.
Work not finished
The next phase of free agency kicks off on Tuesday. After May 1, veteran free agent signings don’t count against a team when the league computes the complex formula of future compensatory draft picks for net losses in free agency.
The Browns should be in the market for a veteran edge rusher (Frank Clark, Robert Quinn, Yannick Ngakoue). Even Berry admits that it may be unfair to cast Missouri defensive end Isaiah McGuire, the Browns' second fourth-round pick, as a legit candidate for the No. 3 edge rusher role.
Also, there remains a need for a veteran safety to compete for the No. 3 role after starters Grant Delpit (box) and Juan Thornhill (deep).
Free-agent possibilities include Adrian Amos, LaMarcus Joyner, Duron Harmon, and (Dirty) Dan Sorensen. The third safety on the Browns’ roster currently is 2022 undrafted free agent D’Anthony Bell.
“We will explore every opportunity, trade, veteran market to continue to add depth and competition to all spots,” Berry said.
Specifically about the need for a veteran third safety, Berry said, “I’d say there’s a need everywhere. We’re just trying to add talent and competition.”
Of course.
Brownie bits
Berry said he had agreements for “two or three trades,” but they fell through. Finally, a trade “came out nowhere” when Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta called with the Browns on the clock for the 229th overall pick in the seventh round. “We were actually both joking on the phone as we were calling it in,” Berry said. “He was like, ‘I keep getting beat up here, because we haven’t made any trades. My phone hasn’t been ringing.’ It was mutually beneficial, I guess you could say.” …
The Browns now have eight picks in the 2024 draft. They have their own in Rounds 2, 3, 5 and 7. They have Carolina’s in Round 5 (Baker Mayfield trade), Houston’s in Round 6 (Watson trade), Baltimore’s in Round 6 (aforementioned trade), and Atlanta’s in Round 7 (Deion Jones trade) ...
Tillman and Ika arrived in Berea and had introductory press conferences. Tillman was accompanied by his parents. His father, Cedric Sr., was an 11th-round draft choice of the Denver Broncos in 1992. “He knows that I always want to compete against him and my older brother and wanted to be better than him, but it’s been cool,” Tillman Jr. said. Ika disclosed he wants to reduce his weight. He weighed 335 at the NFL combine. “340 is the lightest I’ve played at this past season,” Ika said. “I think I could knock a couple pounds down. Maybe get a little bit faster, move a little better.”
