A previously scheduled private workout with Cam Ward made sense for the Browns' braintrust this week on the way to attending NFL meetings in Palm Beach, FL.
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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.
Takeaways from the draft trail …
With four weeks to go before the April 24 draft, the Browns gave some indication that their No. 1 option – trading up one spot with Tennessee to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward – is still in play.
Two days after conspicuously shunning Ward’s orchestrated pro day, the Browns conducted a private workout with the draft’s No. 1-ranked quarterback in Coral Gables, FL. Attending were GM Andrew Berry, head coach Kevin Stefanski, and owner Jimmy Haslam, a Browns official confirmed.
The workout was scheduled long before the Browns received grief for sending only two representatives – assistant GM Glenn Cook and national scout Chris Buford -- to Ward’s much-attended pro day.
The logistics were right for the Browns to visit with Ward on Wednesday because the same contingent is travelling from Coral Gables to Palm Beach, FL, for NFL annual meetings beginning on Sunday.
The Browns also are expected to conduct private workouts before the draft with Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. It’s probable that the team will also spend private time with Colorado two-position star Travis Hunter and Penn State rusher Abdul Carter.
These players most likely comprise the group from which the Browns will choose their top selection on April 24, and perhaps their next selection on April 25.
The visitation with Ward comes amid national reports that the Tennessee Titans are still open to entertaining trade offers for the No. 1 overall pick even though they reportedly like Ward and have a pressing need at quarterback. The Titans are in full rebuild mode with a new GM and are trying to collect future draft picks to accelerate the job.
The presence of Haslam at the workout attests to the team’s urgency to identify a quarterback in this draft that can lead the team while still under a rookie contract in 2027 – when an expected dead salary cap charge of about $90 million comes due for Deshaun Watson.
Big day in Columbus
The CFP champions held the largest pro day of the season. Seventeen draft-eligible Buckeyes worked out in front of GMs, coaches and scouts.
According to reports, the pro day was attended by six NFL head coaches (Chicago’s Ben Johnson, Atlanta’s Raheem Morris, New Orleans’ Kellen Moore, Dallas’ Brian Schottenheimer, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, and New England’s Mike Vrabel) and five GMs (Atlanta’s Terry Fontenot, Green Bay’s Brian Gutenkunst, Chicago’s Ryan Poles, Pittsburgh’s Omar Kahn, Cincinnati’s Duke Tobin, and New Orleans’ Mickey Loomis).
With the Browns pre-occupied with the Ward workout, they did have representatives at the Ohio State pro day.
The Buckeyes are trying to break the record of 15 players selected in a draft set by Georgia in 2022.
As things stand, it appears the Browns would be most interested in backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins in the early rounds. Neither ran the 40 at the pro day. Henderson stood on his 4.43 clocking at the Combine, and Judkins on his 4.48 time.
By all accounts, quarterback Will Howard had a good day.
“I think I showed I can throw the ball at every level,” Howard said to reporters after the workout. “At the end of the day, I feel my leadership, my intelligence, and my arm strength … I believe in myself. I think I’m the best. If you don’t feel that way, then why are you doing this? I’m confident. I believe I have what it takes to be a QB1 in the NFL. Whatever franchise takes me is not going to regret it.
“I want to prove I’m the best quarterback in this draft. My accuracy … my leadership … there’s no moment that’s too big for me.”
Howard said he has some private workouts and “30 visits” lined up. The only one he would identify is with the Las Vegas Raiders, who hired former Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly on February 2.