The Cleveland Browns got into the news to start the week with a substantial NFL trade with a common trade partner.
Cleveland sent a fifth-round pick they had from the move where they sent Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders to the Houston Texans in exchange for OT Tytus Howard. The trade gave the Browns a solid starting offensive lineman and their only starter under contract.
You can rule out one player from the Browns’ draft possibilities
Though Howard has position flexibility at right tackle, left tackle, and guard — the Browns traded for him to play right tackle. Howard has 3,515 career snaps at right tackle while the 245 snaps he played at left tackle all came during the 2021 season. Miami OL Francis Mauigoa has been predominantly a right tackle during his career and is expected to be drafted very early.
Mauigoa can slide into guard but a team drafting him should let him work out where he’s played at a high level during his career at Miami. Cleveland drafting Mauigoa all but seems out of their possibilities now.
Cleveland is going to be looking for a left tackle and that guy could end up being Georgia’s Monroe Freeling. If Cleveland doesn’t go after Freeling, then Utah’s Caleb Lomu would be the other player who could be a left tackle option.