NFL Draft: Will the Patriots, Browns Swap First-Round Spots?

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NFL Draft Has Potential To See Browns Swap Picks With Patriots In First Round Trade Action

We all know that half of the fun of the NFL Draft is watching the trades go down. Seeing teams swap picks (and players) like we swapped baseball cards as kids is just plain old good fun.

Fortunately, with a screwball draft on the way, we've no shortage of potential trade talk already, including a big rumor regarding New England's first round position.

The Patriots own four picks in the first two rounds of the draft, but according to a Boston Globe report, they're interested in potentially packaging a combination of those picks and shipping them to the Browns, in return for the sixth overall pick.

The move makes perfect sense for Bill Belichick's team; with the sixth overall pick, he could grab Robert Quinn, who looks to be a perfect fit in New England's system, while still keeping at least one or two early-round picks to make sure you've got the depth you need.

On top of that, the Browns have been shopping the pick around, hoping to get more picks later in the draft as a result.

Must Read: 2011 NFL Mock Draft: Final Predictions for the Top 50 Players on the Big Board.

But, is it really worth the trouble for these two teams? The Browns could have their pick of a plethora of talented players at sixth overall, and I have a tough time believing that none of them could benefit the team in the long run. Sure, more picks would be helpful, but with the potential still likely to be on the board at sixth, it would be hard for me to pass it up.

Then there's New England. Quinn is a sublime talent, to be sure, but there are plenty of other players who could slip into the Pats' scheme just as well as the former Tar Heel. Guys like J.J. Watt from Wisconsin or Cameron Jordan from Cal would be a great fit at defensive end in the Pats' 3-4, while Akeem Ayers fits perfectly at outside linebacker in the scheme.

With either Watt or Jordan figuring to be on the board at pick 17, and Ayers likely to still be there at 28, why don't the Patriots use their picks, rather than wheeling and dealing?

In the end, this is a trade I definitely see happening. Both teams seem to want to make the deal work, and they've got the picks to do it. Neither team really loses much by pulling the trigger, and in the end, everyone should come out happy. While there are downsides, the positives seem to outweigh the negatives, at least on paper.

So, don't be surprised to see Bill Belichick pull off yet another blockbuster deal come Thursday night.

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