Browns see specific value in attending combine despite other teams skipping

The NFL is often a copycat league in a variety of ways. While it is also cyclical, we often see teams trying to steal from teams that have won in the past.

One current trend that has grown over the past few years is teams skipping the NFL combine in Indianapolis. The Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers are three well-run, winning organizations that have found less and less value in attending the combine.

The Cleveland Browns are unlikely to join in this recent trend despite a desire to be a team that wins on the level of the three teams listed above.

General manager Andrew Berry spoke to the local media after his podium time at the combine and noted a few specific values of being in person in Indianapolis (Berry spoke quietly during the sessions so you may have to turn up your volume):

While the Browns front office is often chided for being “too analytics driven,” Berry’s answer shows how much the team still values things that can’t be found on spreadsheets. The face time with prospects, time with agents and all the discussions that happen during the combine is just so valuable.

Berry admitted that he and the organization are looking for ways to improve what they do and not repeat mistakes from the past. Obviously, that will not include staying away from the combine. Thankfully, as he noted in the above video, it helps that they can make the drive in from Ohio as well.