Cleveland Browns fans are closer to thinking about the upcoming NFL draft than they are to the AFC playoff picture, despite the team being tied for the last seed in the conference after nine weeks. That is what happens with two straight defeats, one being destroyed and the next losing to a bad team. First, the Browns may or may not join the NFL trade deadline festivities on Tuesday.
Then, HC Todd Monken has to decide whether Deshaun Watson will regain his starting job, following a week off due to a concussion,
or Shedeur Sanders did enough in Week 9 to earn that responsibility.
While the 2027 NFL draft is a long way away, Cleveland fans have been keeping an eye on the Los Angeles Rams all season following the Myles Garrett trade. The Rams have been overwhelmed by injuries this year, including Garrett missing a month and a half, and:
- WR Davante Adams ruled out for 6 to 10 weeks
- DT Poonie Ford ruled out for the year
- DT Kobie Turner ruled out for a month to a month and a half
- K Blake Grupe ruled out for the year
In Week 9, while trying to salt away another victory, the Rams lost their other star receiver, Puka Nacua, to multiple ligament injuries and turf toe:
As of now, no word on how long Nacua will be out, with the Rams in ninth place in the NFC and facing a daunting schedule after facing the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, starting with the Wednesday game for Thanksgiving week:
- Week 12: Green Bay Packers
- Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 14: San Francisco 49ers
- Week 15: Dallas Cowboys
- Week 16: Seattle Seahawks
- Week 17: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 18: Seattle Seahawks
With the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Los Angeles could go in a number of directions because of their injuries, including trying to add a receiver to help in place of Adams and Nacua.
Currently, the Rams are slotted with the 18th overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft, which will be headed to the Browns.
Do you think the Rams will once again overcome an injury, or is Nacua’s absence going to skyrocket Cleveland’s draft stock in 2027?
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