Browns' biggest draft decisions were these 2 trades they didn't make

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington wideout Denzel Boston (WO08) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's so easy to criticize moves the Cleveland Browns have made in the past. They certainly have had plenty of whiffs.

But during the 2026 NFL Draft, they had the chance to do more and stood firm, and that may have been exactly the right call.

They did make a dramatic move right off the bat, trading down three spots from No. 6 to No. 9 with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Browns still filled their need with the guy they wanted, though, offensive tackle Spencer Fano out of Utah.

And it turns out even then, the Browns chose not to trade down further, which worked out.

"The Browns got two or three calls on the clock at No. 9," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote in a new article on Thursday. "But since they had already moved back three spots with Kansas City, they stood pat because they wanted Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano and sensed the tackle run coming."

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The Browns showed similar restraint while sitting with the No. 39 pick and hoping to take Washington WR Denzel Boston.

"They had considered trading back into the late first round for Washington receiver Denzel Boston," Fowler writes. "Seattle at 32 was a potential entry point the team discussed. Then, the Browns contemplated whether to move higher into the early second round to secure him. Cleveland bet on a defensive run with those early picks and opted to sit tight. The move paid off, as Cleveland double-dipped at receiver, taking Texas A&M's KC Concepcion 24th (who would have been off the board quickly after 24, as he had many suitors) and got Boston at 39."

Obviously, these players still have to perform in the NFL for these to look like the right picks.

But it's interesting to hear about the deals that weren't made. The Browns decided against one more trade back, and then they decided against a trade up. Both times, they seem to have ended up with who they wanted. Sometimes, the best moves are the ones you don't make.

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