Several new defensive backs will see action for the Browns this season. Denzel Ward, Damarious Randall, T.J. Carrie and E.J. Gaines are now in the mix in Cleveland. But the team with the top bidding spots in the upcoming supplemental draft is doing its homework on the available DBs. John Dorsey attended Western Michigan safety Sam Beal‘s pro day, and Zac Jackson of The Athletic notes the Browns are studying up on supplemental cornerbacks Adonis Alexander (Virginia Tech) and Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant. The Browns’ 0-16 finish last season guarantees them the first bid position in this non-televised event, so if Cleveland is willing to sacrifice a third-round pick in the 2019 draft, its move would beat any other team that’s willing to part with a third-rounder to the punch. Jackson adds that only Ward and Randall’s jobs look certain this season, with competition set to commence for the other three primary roles in the secondary.
Here’s the latest from the AFC North:
- On the subject of unsettled secondary situations, the Steelers look to feature training camp battles for the spots that Joe Haden and Morgan Burnett do not hold. The main uncertainty here going into camp looks to be 2017 third-rounder Cameron Sutton, whom Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes could settle in at outside corner, in the slot, or as Burnett’s running mate on the back end. While the 5-foot-11, 188-pound Sutton would make for a diminutive safety, he did receive reps there during the Steelers’ offseason program, per Rutter. Sutton started at cornerback for four seasons at Tennessee and is the Volunteers’ all-time leader in passes defensed. Artie Burns‘ job isn’t certain, per Rutter. Neither is Sean Davis‘. And with Terrell Edmunds set to factor into the mix, the Steelers could sport some interesting sub-packages this season.
- The Bengals made a late-offseason personnel change. Christian Sarkisian will join the scouting staff as a scouting assistant, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Formerly the assistant director of player personnel at Northwestern for a year, Sarkisian will join an eight-person Bengals scouting staff.
- The tight end who serves as the Bengals’ Tyler Eifert injury insurance, Tyler Kroft is hoping for a long-term extension to stay in Cincinnati.
- UDFA Janarion Grant may have the inside track to succeed Michael Campanaro as the Ravens’ return man.
I was wondering if that Browns were looking into highly rated CBs in the supplemental draft. Maybe even a sign and trade agreement w another team due to their draft position… are there rules for signing a player in the supplemental draft and then trading the player? Kind of like the Rule V draft transactions that happen every year in the MLB.
Highly doubt a team is going to spend a draft pick on a player in the supplemental draft just to trade him since they will lose the pick in the 2019 draft in whatever round they take the player in.
If the patriots wanted the browns to select Beal in the 2nd round, the patriots would trade their second rounder to the browns plus additional picks and/or a player they wanted… happens in the Rule V draft all the time w the exception of not losing picks in the actual draft the next year… using the patriots as an example. I don’t think it’s ever been done, but I can see it happening. Although it’s rare when a player of Beal’s talent level is available.