The Browns made one of the draft’s more controversial picks earlier today by selecting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley, who has been charged with assault for an incident that occurred in Gainesville, Florida, earlier this month.
Brantley’s time with the Browns looks like it will depend on the outcome of this investigation. GM Sashi Brown (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, on Twitter) said the team may be forced to part ways with the sixth-round pick. Brown added “the facts of this case may be something we can’t get comfortable with,” candidly discussing how the team could move on if this process progresses to a point the Browns can’t handle (Twitter link, via Cabot).
Viewed as a first- or second-round talent, Brantley has been charged for allegedly striking a woman in a bar and causing dental injuries after a verbal altercation. Cabot adds (Twitter link) that a source relayed a message from a Florida coach telling every team with which he spoke to stay away from Brantley.
Cleveland has not been afraid to make unconventional moves since Brown and Co. took over last year. Drafting a higher-end talent to retain his rights while a legal investigation ensues would qualify as such. The Browns visited with Brantley, but that summit came before the Gainesville incident, Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com tweets.
“It’s concerning to us and continues to be a concern,” Brown said, per Cabot (on Twitter), discussing Brantley’s case.
This makes the draft pick all the more interesting, but the Browns being a team in the early stages of a potential rebuild and being viewed as possibly years away from contention affords the franchise the opportunity to take a risk with a sixth-round pick. Brantley seeing the team that drafted him announce this stance puts his NFL career on thin ice before it’s begun.
Then why even take him in the first place? We have more of a need for defensive backs than defensive linemen.
Stupid Stupid Stupid Stupid Stupid Stupid Stupid
It’s a flyer on a guy with first round talent. It’s so unlikely that a 6th rounder is going to turn into a good player it’s not a horrible choice to waste a pick on someone who’s immensely talented but has horrible character problems. The Browns suck they need to take chances.
This new regime has been pushing the “high character” spiel since they came onboard. This is not in line with that.
Does that mean it’s all been a lying load of crap? Yep.
Not necessarily. If charges never come, while obviously still a challenging personality, Brantley may not have another issue ever again. That would make him a major steal. I don’t expect Sashi to litter the roster with bad dudes, but Brantley is talented enough to gamble on in the 6th. Easily could become a starter if everything turns out well.
You’re missing my whole point.
The Browns philosophy let’s draft a player then release him. Yeah let’s do that, let’s waste a draft pick. That’s what we do after all because we have no clue
Almost no good players come out of the end rounds, so taking a flyer on a top 50 talent with major issues still makes sense. Not like they threw away a second rounder or something. The risk is far less than the reward.
Tom Brady. 6th round picks are still valuable
Chances are any other 6th rounder they would’ve taken instead of him would be released. At least this one has starting talent.
Was idiotic to draft him and then take such a stance. If you intended to pick him you did so knowing his history and being ok with it…unless somebody forgot to take him off the board, somebody decided he was the best available talent, chose him and then remembered just how or why such a talent was still available.
Was someone on a bathroom break when it was their turn to pick?
The Browns have been on a bathroom break since 98 when they came back to Cleveland
99
For every 6th round Tom Brady there have been hundreds of 6th rounders that have gone back to packing groceries after training camp. No doubt from a play standpoint this guy is the most talented 6th rounder selected this year. If they process plays out and he is guilty it is almost a wash.