Monday Night Football: team needs for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens

The Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens have had a rough 2015 season and will have several needs that must be addressed in the offseason.

Cleveland is use to picking at the top of the draft, but for the Ravens this is relatively new territory. Both teams have a legitimate shot of landing the No. 1 overall pick and thus grabbing a potential franchise changing player. However, there’s a big difference on the top needs of each team.

Thanks to the continued off-field mistakes of Johnny Manziel, the Browns appear likely to target a quarterback with their 1st round pick. There are some intriguing options including California’s Jared Goff, Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch.

Each of these prospects come with their share of positives and negatives. Goff is the most complete prospect with a chance to make an early impact and develop into a top-level player. Lynch has the most upside of the prospects thanks to his excellent athleticism, size and strong throwing arm. Cook is a proven winner who comes from a pro-style offense.

More from With the First Pick

Of course, there’s also the possibility that Cleveland looks to address this need via trade or free agency. This past offseason they were heavily linked to Sam Bradford. They could re-visit adding Bradford because he’s expected to hit free agency.

Outside of addressing the quarterback position, the Browns could use someone capable of generating pressure on the quarterback. Ohio State’s Joey Bosa would makes some sense as a hybrid 5-technique/outside linebacker prospect.

The Baltimore Ravens were not expecting to have such a poor season. Most point to injuries and free-agent departures as the main reason for their struggles. However, this roster does have some glaring holes that must be addressed.

Baltimore’s defense has been a staple of team’s recent success. This year has been much different as the back-end of the unit has really struggled. They currently rank 24th in the NFL allowing 257 yards per game. Jimmy Smith is a long-term building block but he’s arguably the only one.

Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III would be a great addition to the Ravens secondary and should be around when they pick. Hargreaves is a technically sound defender who also features great ball skills.

I’d love to see the Ravens address an offensive need by selecting Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott. Justin Forsett is not the long-term answer at the position and is better served playing in spurts. Elliott is a true difference maker who can move the chains and break off long runs.

Tonight’s game has no impact on the playoff race, but the outcome will impact the 2016 NFL Draft.

Home/NFL Draft News