For decades, the NFL draft has been the lifeblood of franchises. While the Cleveland Browns failed miserably in turning things around via the draft, it has long been considered the most important way for teams to build their roster.
It has made a lot of sense. Drafted players are younger and cheaper than veterans.
While those two things are still, mostly, true, it isn’t as universal as it once was when most of the first and second-round picks were 21 years old.