Browns can follow Seahawks Super Bowl roster process

Another year, another Super Bowl that doesn’t have the Cleveland Browns as one of the last two teams remaining. Will it happen in the future? No one knows, but every single year, Clevelanders dream of their favorite football team playing for a Lombardi trophy, but it hasn’t materialized.

The only way the team has a chance of playing in the Super Bowl right now is by playing franchise mode on the EA Sports Madden NFL football video game.

As far as the team goes, it might be a couple of years before the roster is Super Bowl-ready. If there is one team that the Browns can look for in terms of inspiration, it’s the team coming out of the NFC. The last time the Seattle Seahawks were in the Super Bowl, Pete Carroll was the head coach, and quarterback Russell Wilson was still playing at a high level. How did the Seahawks get back? Aside from good roster construction, the team changed its draft strategy. Instead of drafting against the consensus, the team opted to draft with the consensus.

Drafting in the NFL isn’t easy. It’s hard to hit on every draft pick, and it’s rare when it happens. Some of the picks made by the Seahawks were surprising, but the team also benefited from picking high, which can help. Seahawks general manager John Schneider was given a long enough leash to turn his draft misfortune when most front offices aren’t given that opportunity to do it.

Roster construction is important, but developing your draft picks is just as key. Seattle has had some questionable roster construction over the years, but it got better but the draft selection improved as well.

Aside from hiring the right coach in head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks hit on picks that turned out to be all-pro level players or quality starters. Hitting on quarterback Sam Darnold also helped.

How can the Browns learn from this and use this strategy? For starters, having 1st round picks can help. The second part, and it’s obvious, is drafting good players. This recent draft class shows that. Drafting players such as defensive tackle Mason Graham, linebacker Carson Schwesinger, running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.

Cleveland will have two first-rounders in this draft, and it’s clear that the team will look to build off its strong class this year by following it up with another. If the team wants inspiration on how to draft well, look for the team in the Pacific Northwest that’s playing for a Super Bowl this Sunday.