The 2014 NFL Draft was a major disappointment for the New England Patriots as they've already released 1st round pick Dominique Easley. There's only one other team that can complain louder than the Patriots, and that's the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns traded down from the 4th overall pick, so the Bills could take wide receiver Sammy Watkins, before subsequently trading back up to take cornerback Justin Gilbert. Gilbert tested extremely well in shorts, but has been an absolute bust in the NFL.
Cleveland also had the 26th overall pick from the Colts after trading running back Trent Richardson. The Browns packaged their 3rd round pick with the 26th overall to move up to 22nd to select quarterback Johnny Manziel, who is currently out of football and in serious legal trouble.
It turns out the Cleveland coaching staff weren't even planning on taking Manziel. They wanted the Patriots current back-up quarterback.
"The two guys we felt good about [with our second 1st round pick] were [Derek] Carr and [Jimmy] Garoppolo," former Browns head coach Mike Pettine told ESPN. "Just projecting the guys we thought would be there, we all thought [Teddy] Bridgewater would be gone."
Instead, Bridgewater- who was the quarterback most likely to succeed in the draft, per a study funded by the Browns- was still on the board, as were Carr and Garoppolo, and yet the Browns still took Manziel.
Bridgewater is the Vikings franchise quarterback, while Carr is slowing rising up the ranks with the Raiders. Jimmy Garoppolo will see his first four starts to open the 2016 season.
It's likely that the Browns ranked Manziel above the other options, but expected him to be gone by the end of the 1st round. Still, any of the three other quarterbacks mentioned would have been far superior to taking Manziel.
Hopefully Garoppolo can play better than the 1st rounder the Browns took in his place.