The Cleveland Browns have no intention of tanking, even if they could clinch the No. 1 overall pick in doing so.
The Browns would lose the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft to the San Francisco 49ers if the Browns win at Pittsburgh and the 49ers lose at home against Seattle. That thought, however, has not crossed coach Hue Jackson’s mind.
“It doesn’t. It can’t,” said Jackson, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Our players work too hard in the locker room and they put it on the line. We have to put it on the line. That’s what sports is all about. I said before, whether it’s the first pick, second pick, or third pick, they’re all going to be good players there.
“We’ll get good players on this team. I assure everybody that as we move forward, but what I think is most important is finishing the season the right way for these guys.”
The Browns have so many needs that they can probably get away with taking the best player on the board, whether they’re picking first or second. They’d just probably prefer to avoid putting themselves in a situation where their division rivals might troll them over who they passed on.
