2010 NFL Draft: How Sheldon Brown Affects Cleveland Browns' Strategy

In a move that wasn’t entirely unexpected, the Cleveland Browns cut a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Making a deal with general manager Tom Heckert’s former team was bound to happen at some point, and at first glance, it looks like the Browns got a pretty good deal.

The Eagles sent cornerback Sheldon Brown and linebacker Chris Gocong to Cleveland in exchange for linebacker Alex Hall and a fourth- and fifth-round pick.

Hall didn't develop into the star pass rusher former GM Phil Savage thought he could be, and Hall spent increasing time on special teams instead of on defense under head coach Eric Mangini.

Before looking at any of Brown’s stats, though, go to YouTube and watch him FLATTEN Reggie Bush. Then peruse his 51 tackles, five interceptions, and one forced fumble in 2009.

With the acquisition of Brown, don’t entertain anymore thoughts of drafting Joe Haden in the first round. While the Browns still may draft a cornerback, it won’t be until the later rounds.

Gocong adds more depth and options to the Cleveland defensive line, which the Browns will need in anticipation of NT Shaun Rogers getting suspended for bringing a loaded gun to the airport this past Thursday.

This trade puts a new spin on how the Browns may handle their seventh overall pick in the draft, unless the plan is to somehow get Sam Bradford, which I see as very unlikely.

Derrick Morgan becomes a possibility for the Browns at this point. At 6’ 4”, 270 lbs., the defensive end out of Georgia Tech looks better at the seventh spot than Haden does now.

Morgan has speed, showed good moves in college and probably could play either side of the line.

With this trade, the Browns may now only be targeting one or two guys with that pick. If those guys aren’t available, then a trade-down now is more likely.

If Eric Berry is off the board, and neither Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy have managed to slip through the cracks, then trading down becomes the better option as whoever the Browns would want to take after that still will be on the board.

A trade down also would give the Browns an additional second-round pick, which then could be used to grab that mythical “franchise” quarterback whispered about amongst the common folk.

The trade still leaves the Browns with 10 picks in the draft, so don’t think there still couldn’t be more moves by April 22.