After former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill worked out in College Station on Thursday, Mike Mayock of NFL Network proclaimed that “Cleveland has to take [Tannehill] at No. 4.” If the Browns don’t take him with the fourth pick, the Dolphins (whose offensive coordinator is former A&M coach Mike Sherman) would likely gobble Tannehill up at No. 8.
And if Tannehill somehow slips through the cracks to No. 12, the Seahawks apparently will be interested, given the presence of coach Pete Carroll, G.M. John Schneider, and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell at the Pro Day session.
With three teams possibly clamoring for Tannehill, the team that holds the third pick in the draft may finally have a trade market. Whether it’s a flip-flop with the Browns or a five-spot discount with the Dolphins or a nine-position plummet with the Seahawks, three different teams could make a run at the clear shot at Tannehill.
At a bare minimum, the Vikings should squeeze the Browns into a one-spot swap, like the Vikings did with the Dolphins back in 2004, when Vikings G.M. Rick Spielman was coincidentally the G.M. in Miami. Then, the Vikings could still pick tackle Matt Kalil and finagle an extra pick (maybe a third-rounder) from the Browns.
To make that happen, Spielman will have to entice his former team into making an offer to move up from No. 8. Unless the Browns fear a jump by Miami or Seattle, the Browns will be inclined to call Minnesota’s bluff and sit tight.
The issue was explored in closer detail during Friday’s PFT Live.