Browns' Team Needs to Fill in 2022 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns no longer have a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. And they don't have their first-round selections in 2023 or 2024, either. They included all three picks as part of the package to land quarterback Deshaun Watson in a trade with the Houston Texans earlier in March.

Even though the Browns will now turn to Watson at QB, that doesn't mean they don't still have holes at other areas on their roster. They will have to surround him with the best possible players on offense and also take care of addressing their defensive needs in order to have success moving forward.

Cleveland will have an opportunity to do that in the draft, which is set to take place April 28-30. The Browns may no longer own a first-round selection, but they still have seven picks they can use to add some talented young players.

Here's a closer look at Cleveland's top needs it may have to address during the draft.

Wide Receiver

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The Browns receiving corps has undergone a major shakeup over the past year. Last season, they released Odell Beckham Jr. They also released Jarvis Landry earlier in March. But Cleveland already has a new No. 1 wide receiver in Amari Cooper, whom it landed in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys a few weeks ago.

But Cooper can't catch every pass, and the Browns don't have a ton of receiving depth. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz and Jakeem Grant Sr. can all contribute on offense, but it's not the strongest group of wide receivers in the NFL by any means.

So it's possible that Cleveland will draft a wide receiver, potentially even in the second or third round. If Watson is going to be successful, then he needs to have numerous big-time playmakers to throw the ball to, and the Browns could find a future star in the middle rounds.

One fit could be Alabama's John Metchie III, who has a ton of breakout potential as he heads into the NFL. If Metchie hadn't suffered a torn ACL in December, he may have been projected to go in the first round. So Cleveland could get a steal if it can land him.

The Browns don't necessarily have to draft Metchie, though, as long as they get somebody who can be a solid secondary receiving option alongside Cooper in their offense.

Defensive Linemen

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Myles Garrett is an elite pass-rusher. But in order for him to have the most success possible, the Browns need to have other strong players among their defensive front so that opponents aren't able to just focus on taking Garrett out of games.

Jadeveon Clowney and Takkarist McKinley were solid edge-rushers for Cleveland in 2021, but they are now both free agents. Several other Browns defensive linemen hit free agency as well, so they are lacking depth at the unit and haven't done much to address it so far this offseason.

That's why Cleveland will likely need to add numerous defensive linemen during the draft. It's possible that it could re-sign Clowney to start on the opposite end of the line from Garrett again, but if not, it could try to find a starter in the second or third round.

There should be plenty of intriguing pass-rushers for the Browns to consider taking, such as Minnesota's Boye Mafe, who has been increasing his stock during the buildup to the draft. As Nathan Zegura of the Browns' team site notes, Mafe is "an explosive athlete with a very high ceiling," and he could be a fit.

In order for Cleveland's pass rush to remain strong in 2022, it needs to replenish the unit. The draft will provide an opportunity for it to do that.

O-Line Depth

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It's always good to have depth on the offensive line because a team never knows what injuries may occur over the course of a season. And if the Browns are going to be successful in 2022, they may need to bolster their O-line depth this offseason.

Cleveland has some solid players up front, but the unit needs to get deeper. The Browns released former starting center JC Tretter earlier in March, and although Nick Harris may be able to overtake that job, they could benefit from bringing in a rookie to compete for the job or to serve as a quality backup.

As for the other positions on the offensive line, it can never hurt to bring in young players who could move into starting roles down the line. Somebody like Kentucky tackle Darian Kinnard may be a good player to target, especially because he has the ability to play guard positions as well. That would give the Browns flexibility that could be useful later on.

If it lines up that Cleveland can take an offensive lineman or two in the draft, it should capitalize on that, especially if it's taking the best available player in the process. But at the least, it needs to add at least one player to the mix up front to keep the unit strong.