This Caleb Brantley issue is, as they say, a sticky wicket.

For him, of course.

For the woman involved, of course.

For the Browns, of course.

Brantley, the talented defensive tackle from Florida who was selected by Cleveland with the first pick in the sixth round, at No. 185 overall, of the 2017 NFL Draft on Saturday has a pending misdemeanor battery charge after he was accused of hitting a woman in a Gainesville, Fla. bar a week and a half ago.

That’s a serious charge. Striking anyone, especially when it’s a large man doing so – allegedly violently – to a woman is extremely serious, and eye-catching. That’s obvious, particularly in this day and age.

But what’s important, too, is the fact that a person in this country is innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. Brantley will get his day in court – a chance to prove his innocence if it comes to that.

The Browns, who, according to Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown, are monitoring the situation closely, may well release him if they don’t like what they’re seeing or hearing – even if Brantley is not charged.

It’s a sixth-round draft choice. As such, the Browns decided to roll the dice on the guy. If they’re convinced he is innocent, or if he gets exonerated, then they get a tremendous player at a bargain-basement draft price. And if it doesn’t work out, then they didn’t lose anything because sixth-rounders rarely have an impact on a team.

From a business standpoint, it’s worth it. Th guy can play. And the Browns certainly need guys who can play.

From a public relations standpoint, it may not be worth it. It’s a bad look to some people. They think the Browns made a big mistake by dipping their toe into that controversial, murky water.

From a legal standpoint, it’s OK. The Browns did nothing wrong.

From a realistic standpoint, if the Browns hadn’t drafted Brantley, then it’s likely another team would have done so. Talent is too scarce. It’s too hard to acquire.

Didn’t Joe Mixon, the running back from Oklahoma, get drafted in the second round, at No. 48 overall, by the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals, a team that has taken its chances with a lot of players considered to have bad character?

The Bengals aren’t going to cut Mixon anytime soon.

But the Browns may end up cutting Brantley before he ever gets to any of the mini camps.

Is that enough, though, to justify what the Browns did?

And for a team trying really hard to get its act together after nine consecutive losing seasons, including a bottoming-out 1-15 mark last year, do the Browns need the distraction that drafting Caleb Brantley brings?

Sashi Brown and the Browns seem to think so.

But in reality, only time will tell.