There are two different types of relationships in this
world. The ones that you have after a few beverages at your local watering hole
and the ones that you take home to mom and plan to spend a long time with. That
watering hole relationship tends to be exciting and the talk of the town while
the long term relationship is defined as safe and boring, but in the end the
former tends to be filled with regret while the latter filled with success. Both
the Browns and Bengals got down on one knee last night and made the right
decision in proposing their allegiance to stable, intelligent and (for lack of
a better term) safe and boring draft picks as opposed to the high risk/high reward
options that they could’ve. This was the correct decision.
Let’s start with the Browns and their decisions last night
to make sound selections, I know that’s almost impossible to believe. First
off, they did not send every first pick they have for this season and next season
to grab a quarterback with a few question marks (I would’ve been fine had that
occurred for the record). The next opportunity to make the “sexy” pick was to
take DeVante Parker at 12 but instead of using a pick to select a guy whose
ability to make plays relies so heavily on the quarterback position, which we
all know is not the best, the Browns went with Danny Shelton. Shelton, both an
athletic and academic All-American, fills the role of run stopper that the
Browns badly needed as well as being the safer selection at number 12 for a
team that cannot afford to miss on many picks. Games are won and lost in the
trenches, and the defensive trench for the Browns greatly improved after this
pick.
Speaking of the trenches, both the Browns and Bengals used
their remaining 1st round picks on the offensive line. Seems boring,
I know, but productive for both teams. Starting with the Browns at 19, many
people will think that Offensive Line was not a need for the Browns but once
Alex Mack (who can opt out of his contract after this season) went down with
injury last year, the once dominant line began resembling something closer to Swiss
cheese. Cam Erving will immediately upgrade the Browns guard position and then
be able to move to center if, hopefully not when, Alex Mack moves on.
Mel Kiper seems to agree, “Danny Shelton is an immediate-impact player in Cleveland.
And by the way, I know some people question Cameron
Erving. But when Alex Mack got hurt last year, the offense fell off a
cliff, and Erving isn't just insurance, he's versatile and can start elsewhere.
Man, did Cleveland get more physical.”
Following suit, the Bengals stepped up to the podium with
the opportunity to select Bud Dupree from the Commonwealth from the other side
of the mighty Ohio and insert an incredibly athletic, yet raw talent to their
defense. Dupree has measurements that are off the charts, but is that classic “hybrid”
defender that seems to have more issues than success once they make the league.
The exciting pick would have been for the Bengals to select Dupree and let
their fan base celebrate a “steal” of a selection, but instead they were
intelligent and added an offensive tackle. Understandably, selecting a player
fresh off knee injuries is not great, but selecting a guy that is not needed
this season and can become a staple for your offensive line after both of your
current tackles possible move on (Whitworth due to age and Smith due to
expiring contract) seems to show great foresight and intelligence.
Congrats to both teams from Ohio as they decided to settle
down with the safe girl, uh I mean picks, that they will reap benefits from for
years to come as opposed to the exciting picks that would have seemed to be a
good idea for the weekend in Chicago, but probably would have caused regret
down the road in Cincinnati and Cleveland.
