When the status of former Browns coach Pat Shurmur and former Browns G.M. Tom Heckert was in doubt, one of the primary sticking points for new owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner came from their failure to move from No. 4 to No. 2 in the 2012 draft to get quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Instead, the Browns unnecessarily traded up from No. 4 to No. 3 to get running back Trent Richardson. And the new regime provided the ultimate indictment of the old regime by already giving up on Richardson.
Per a league source, the new Browns management didn’t have high regard for the oft-injured Richardson, who rushed for 950 yards in 2012 and 105 through two games in 2013. His career average is 3.5 yards per carry.
The move leaves the Browns with only two running backs -- Chris Ogbonnaya and Bobby Rainey. They’ll presumably add another running back to the activer roster; rookie Dennis Johnson currently is on the practice squad.
Most importantly, it also leaves the Browns with two first-round picks in 2014, which should give them plenty of ammunition to move up the board (if necessary) to get a franchise quarterback to replace the other first-round pick that Mike Holmgren and company made in 2012.