Teams have made preliminary calls to the Cleveland Browns about trading for the second overall pick in the draft, the team's new director of football operations said Wednesday.
"There's been some interest in the pick," Sashi Brown said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "But there always typically is toward the top of the draft, just teams feeling each other out. I think in all honesty as you get closer to the draft, we're probably a week's time from getting real calls, with more substance and traction to them."
Brown has said that it is highly unlikely the Browns would move up to the first pick, but he has left open the possibility of moving down and getting more picks, something a 3-13 team can always use -- provided the selections are good ones. The Titans have made no secret they would be willing to trade the first pick.
In addressing the trade talk, Brown showed the experience of a front-office veteran by naming several players worthy of the second pick. Among them: offensive tackles Laremy Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley, defensive end Joey Bosa and linebacker Myles Jack.
"There's going to be some interest in those players," Brown said, "and my anticipation is we along with Tennessee and the other teams in the top five or six will have a number of teams call just to inquire if nothing else what we might take for those teams that have an opportunity to pick one of those players."
Teams that want to trade up might also be interested in drafting quarterback Carson Wentz, who is on the Browns' radar as well. Brown said the team will take the player "who will give us the best chance to win over the long term."
He also said that he is confident Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam will give the new regime the chance to prove itself.
"I absolutely think that Jimmy and Dee understand the importance of continuity," Brown said. "There is a commitment from the top down to build something that is sustainable."
The Haslams have fired three coaches, three general managers and one CEO in four years and hired three coaches and three GMs. None had more than two years in the job.
"One of the quickest ways to be bad for a long time is to keep making changes in this league," Brown said, adding that lack of continuity has been the Browns' "biggest barrier to success" in part because their divisional rivals, the Ravens, Steelers and Bengals, have had continuity.
"There's a real commitment from the top down here to build something that is sustainable," Brown said. "We want that to be a competitive advantage of ours in time."