The Best Browns Players...NOT drafted by Browns

[The Gipper]

Who are the best  players that played for the Browns, but were NOT drafted by them?

Now...for this....there are some qualifiers:

A. Numerous outstanding players of the Browns....even a number of Hall of Famers, came to the Browns while a member of the AAFC...which I do not believe had a "draft" as the NFL did.   They acquired their players mainly as all free agent signings.   Guys like Graham, Motley, Lavelli, Gatski, Groza, Willis

Ergo...I am going to limit this discussion to players who came to the Browns AFTER 1950.

B.  Also.....be aware that technically, the following players WERE drafted by the Browns in supplemental drafts:  Kosar and Josh Gordon;  plus  Kevin Mack, Mike Johnson, Gerald McNeil were acquired as a part of the USFL disbursement draft. 

So, who, after 1950 were the best players the Browns ever got via trades or Free agency.  Here is a list of some:

Frank Minniefield.    While Minnie did play in the USFL.....he was NOT drafted in the USFL supplemental draft.  He had sued and had acquired his free agency...so he was free to sigh with whatever team he wanted...and he chose the Browns.

Mike MacCormack.   HOF  He had been drafted by the NY Yanks.....and played one year with them, then went into the service during the Korean War. When he was done with the service,  he found that the NY Yanks had been disbanded, so he became a free agent and signed on with the Browns.

Len Ford.  HOF   Ford was not a part of the Browns during their AAFC years....but became a FA under circumstances similar to MacCormack when his previous team folded.  He was picked up by the Browns in 1950

Joe Delamelleure.  HOF.    The Browns got Joe D. in a trade with the Bills in 1980.

Frank Ryan.   Last QB to win a title for Browns.   Was acquired in a trade with the Rams.

Bob Golic.   3 time Pro Bowl Nose Tackle.  He had been cut by the Patriots...who drafted him and picked up on waivers by the Browns.

A couple of other HOFers...who the Browns did not draft,  had a cup of coffee with the Browns:   Tommy McDonald and Len Dawson.  They were here for only like 1 year each...and their time with the Browns really had nothing to do with why they made the HOF.

Who else?

 

 

[The Gipper]

A "subcategory" to the above perhaps is to say which players the Browns have acquired other than through the draft....SINCE 1999.....can be considered the best.     A few players of note:

Isaiah Crowell:  UDFA

Tashaun Gipson: UDFA

Josh Cribbs:  UDFA

Paul Kruger  FA

Dez Bryant  FA

John Greco  FA

Eric Steinbach FA

Jamal Lewis FA

Kenard Lang FA

Orpheus Roye FA

Maybe there were some trades involved.

Of course, the hope is that the Browns will do better in the FA pickups and trades of players than they have the last 18 years.