Browns have an eye on offense

Cleveland needs playmakers

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Browns general manager Tom Heckert passed up on one of the top playmakers in last year’s NFL draft.

He can’t afford to be so choosy this year.

Cleveland needs offensive help.

Desperate to improve a unit that scored just 218 points last season, Heckert has five of the top 100 picks (Nos. 4, 22, 37, 67 and 100) this year and it’s likely he’ll use at least three of them on offensive players — and maybe even a quarterback like Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden.

“Everyone knows it, it’s not a secret,” Heckert said. “We need guys that can score points. Hopefully, we can add to that.”

Heckert gambled last year, trading out of the No. 6 overall pick in the first round by making a deal with Atlanta. He acquired the Falcons’ top two picks in 2011 and a first- (No. 22) and fourth-round round pick (No. 118) in this year’s draft, which begins Thursday night.

Heckert could have taken Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, but chose to drop before making another trade with Kansas City and selecting defensive tackle Phil Taylor with the No. 21 pick. The Browns wound up using the Falcons’ picks on wide receiver Greg Little and fullback Owen Marecic.

Looking back, Heckert has no regrets about the bold move, one that received its share of criticism but has a chance to provide a handsome payoff.

“I do think it was the right thing for our football team,” said Heckert, who will be armed with a league-high 13 selections, four of them compensatory picks he can’t trade. “The guys we drafted last year turned out to be pretty good players.

“This year, we hope to get some more good players.”

The Browns need offensive difference makers to support shaky incumbent quarterback Colt McCoy.

Alabama’s Trent Richardson could be one.

Although running backs have been devalued in recent years, Richardson is the class of the 2012 class.