McNamanon: Browns Trade Down Means Search For QB Continues
- The Eagles/Browns trade could have a trickle-down effect on the Jets‘ quarterback plans, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Cimini believes that the Jets were previously interested in making a move for one of the top quarterbacks and using Muhammad Wilkerson as trade bait, but the cost of moving from No. 20 to No. 2 was unrealistic. The Jets could now miss out on the draft’s third-best quarterback prospect in Paxton Lynch since the Browns could target him at No. 8. The Jets could turn to the next tier of QBs including Michigan State’s Connor Cook and Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Cimini hears that Gang Green likes Hackenberg. Meanwhile, the Jets allowed Hoyer to leave his visit without a deal and the team could be putting themselves in jeopardy if they don’t retain Fitzpatrick.
- Pat McManamon of ESPN.com didn’t like the trade down for the Browns because the Browns’ wait for a franchise quarterback continues to drag on. The team is staying true to analytics by trading down, but McManamon argues that even an exceptionally talented team will hit a ceiling without a competent QB. McManamon sees RGIII as the biggest winner of the trade since Cleveland is now putting more faith in him than any other team in the league would.
Browns’ Sashi Brown On RGIII, Draft
Minutes ago, Browns executive Sashi Brown addressed reporters and covered a wide range of topics, including the team’s quarterback position. Here are the highlights:
- Many have assumed that Robert Griffin III is the Browns‘ de facto starting quarterback, but exec Sashi Brown says that’s not the case, as Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. “Robert is not even our starting quarterback. He’s got to earn the spot,” Brown said. If RGIII does not have the job locked up, that means the door could be open for Connor Shaw, Austin Davis, and Josh McCown.
- There has been speculation that the Browns could trade down again, but Brown said that the team “really” likes the No. 8 spot, as Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald tweets. Brown mentioned the possibility of taking a defensive end, cornerback, or linebacker but did not mention wide receiver.
- Moving back up from No. 8 is “possible” but “not likely,” says Brown (Twitter link via Albert Breer of NFL.com).
- Brown says that he was “tempted to stay on the clock” at No. 2 but the team could not pass up the extra picks (Twitter link via Cabot).
- Some believe that the Browns only wanted Jared Goff at No. 2, but Brown says that’s not the case (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal). Brown seems to imply that the team would have been comfortable taking Carson Wentz at No. 2, but there’s no way for us to know if that’s really the case.
- The Browns did not consider a move up to No. 1, per Brown (Twitter link via Cabot).
- While the team sees good quarterbacks in the second tier of this year’s class, Brown believes it is hard to find a franchise QB anywhere (Twitter link via Ulrich).
- Brown would like to have some young talent at wide receiver (Twitter link via Ulrich). The team talked to some free agent WRs, but they did not wind up signing them.
Bills Rumors: Draft, Taylor, Whaley
Before today’s big trade went down between the Eagles and the Browns for the No. 2 pick, Cleveland ostensibly fielded calls from several clubs with interest in moving up. Only the Browns know the full list of suitors, but we can rule out one team. Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link) asked a Bills source if the team was ever in talks with the Browns for the No. 2 pick, to which the team source succinctly replied, “Hell no.”
Here’s latest out of Buffalo:
- The Bills have yet to call other teams about possible draft trades, GM Doug Whaley says (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News). Whaley added that calls will be made next week.
- Whaley says trading down would be “more intriguing” than trading up, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. The Bills currently hold the No. 19 pick in the first round.
- The Bills GM says there’s a “very, very good” chance that the team will be taking a quarterback at some point in the draft, as Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweets.
- For what it’s worth, it sounds like Whaley did not take the public comments made by Tyrod Taylor‘s agent to heart, as Carucci tweets. “He’s doing what he’s getting paid to do. If he was my agent, I’d hope he’d do the same,” Whaley said. Whaley added that he has yet to receive trade interest in Taylor (link).
- When asked if a first-round selection at QB would compete for the starting job, Whaley said no and reaffirmed that Taylor is the unquestioned starter (via Rodak).
- TCU wide receiver Kolby Listenbee made his final pre-draft visit today with the Bills, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
Browns Waive Chase Ford
- The Browns have waived tight end Chase Ford, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Ford was claimed off of waivers just one week ago by Cleveland, so it was a short stay for him.
Fallout From Eagles/Browns Trade
On Wednesday morning, the Eagles acquired the No. 2 pick from the Browns and opinions are split on whether it was a wise move for Philly. Quarterback Sam Bradford is one person who’s not a fan of the deal for the Eagles, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes (via Facebook):
“He’s hot,” said one source who spoke with Bradford. “Who wouldn’t be? This is Philly saying, ‘We don’t see (you) as long-term answer.’ He’s mad and wants to show everyone who’s best.’’
Here’s a look at the fallout from the trade for both the Eagles and the Browns:
- Eagles GM Howie Roseman told reporters that Bradford will be the Eagles’ quarterback in 2016, though the team will be selecting a QB at No. 2 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer). This offseason, the Eagles gave Bradford a new deal which gives him $22MM fully guaranteed over the next two years while signing Chase Daniel to a contract that will give him $12MM guaranteed.
- Paxton Lynch is a quarterback to watch for Cleveland, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. While the Browns could target Lynch at No. 8, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (on Twitter) notes that coach Hue Jackson did not attend Memphis’ pro day.
- One rival GM tells Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that he doesn’t think the Browns are done trading. That GM believes that the Browns will try and acquire even more picks from this point forward.
- The Browns announced that the 2017 fourth-round pick they gave up in the deal with the Eagles is conditional, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. That means that the Eagles will be receiving the Browns’ latest fourth-round pick next year.
- Mike Florio of PFT noted that the two teams that orchestrated the Nick Foles/Bradford deal are now controlling the top of the draft.
Eagles Acquire No. 2 Pick From Browns
The Eagles and Browns have agreed to a trade that will send the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft to Philadelphia, the Eagles announced today (via Twitter). Along with the No. 2 overall pick in 2016, the Eagles will get a 2017 fourth-round pick from the Browns.
In exchange, the Browns will receive the Eagles’ 2016 first-rounder (No. 8 overall), a third-round pick (No. 77), a fourth-round pick (No. 100), a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2018 second-round pick.
[RELATED: Rams acquire No. 1 pick from Titans]
The Eagles did a ton of homework in recent weeks on all of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, with owner Jeffrey Lurie joining the team’s top football decision-makers during meetings and workouts. While some observers believed Philadelphia’s apparent interest in a QB was a smoke screen, it seems that interest was genuine.
With the Rams believed to be leaning toward taking California QB Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick, the Eagles are “all but assured” of drafting North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Assuming Wentz is the pick, he’ll join Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel in a crowded Eagles’ quarterback picture. Bradford is on a short-term deal, which doesn’t include much guaranteed money beyond 2016, so the former No. 1 overall pick may not have much of a future in Philadelphia.
Although the Eagles didn’t have a second-round pick to trade this year as a result of 2015’s Bradford swap, the team was able to move up from No. 13 to No. 8 in a trade with the Dolphins involving Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso. That deal allowed Philadelphia to put an offer on the table for the Browns that gave Cleveland the opportunity to stay within the top 10 in 2016 while adding multiple mid-round selections in 2016 and early-round picks in 2017 and 2018.
Having moved from No. 2 to No. 8, the Browns could still take a quarterback in the first round if they really love a player like Paxton Lynch or even Connor Cook. But it appears the franchise decided that securing a boatload of additional picks was more important than using that No. 2 overall selection on Goff or Wentz. For now, that leaves Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown in the mix for the starting QB job in Cleveland, though the Browns figure to add a signal-caller at some point during the draft.
The deal is probably good news for other clubs drafting in the top six, with the possible exception of the Cowboys — the Chargers, Jaguars, and Ravens are now free to target the best non-quarterbacks in the draft, knowing that Goff and Wentz figure to come off the board within the top two picks. Reports had suggested that Dallas might be interested in one of those top two QBs, but it now appears that Jerry Jones‘ club should have its choice of top defensive prospects – including perhaps Jalen Ramsey – at No. 4.
With eight days remaining until the 2016 draft gets underway, the top two picks have now been dealt, and both teams trading out of those top spots are being run by new general managers. Time will tell whether Jon Robinson of the Titans and Sashi Brown of the Browns made the right calls, but they certainly weren’t reluctant to make major splashes within months of being hired.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns Rumors: Tunsil, Joe Thomas
The Browns are shopping the No. 2 pick, but if they aren’t able to move it, they could end up selecting Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil and then trading nine-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas, several general managers have told Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. If Tunsil to Cleveland happens, those GMs expect Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey to land with the Chargers at No. 3, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz to become the newest member of the Cowboys at No. 4, and UCLA linebacker Myles Jack to go fifth to the Jaguars.
Browns Notes: Kruger, Tryouts
- After the Browns released veteran defenders Karlos Dansby and Donte Whitner earlier this offseason, linebacker Paul Kruger worried about his own status with the team, he told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. “Yeah I was definitely anticipating something,” the 30-year-old said. “Made me a little nervous, I’m not going to lie.” The Browns could still part with Kruger and save $5.3MM before June 1 or $6.5MM if he’s a post-June 1 cut, but they already have the third-most cap space in the league. Kruger, for his part, now expects to remain in the fold. “Those are discussions that I let my agent and those people take care of but hey, I’m here right now and this is where I’m planning on being come August,” he said. Kruger’s sack total plummeted from 11 in 2014 to 2.5 last season, though he still menaced opposing quarterbacks, finishing with the league’s fourth-most hurries (33).
- Wide receivers Cam Worthy and Saalim Hakim, offensive lineman James Brewer and defensive back Dax Swanson will partake in Browns minicamp this week as tryout players, tweets the team’s communications manager, Dan Murphy.
Browns Actively Shopping No. 2 Overall Pick
6:30pm: A deal between the Browns and Eagles would see the two teams swap the second and eighth overall picks this year, with the Eagles adding a pair of third-round selections in 2016 and first- and third-rounders in 2017, reports FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez (on Twitter).
10:08am: The Browns have engaged in trade talks involving the No. 2 selection, and a team source telling Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links) that there’s interest in that pick. However, Schefter notes that it remains “uncertain” – in the words of one team official – whether Cleveland will eventually make a trade.
TUESDAY, 9:33am: The Browns are actively shopping the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, initiating calls to other teams further down in the top 10, says Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has been hearing the same thing, with a source confirming to her that the Eagles, at No. 8, are a potential trade partner for the Browns.
MONDAY, 5:41pm: An NFC general manager tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that, following the Rams trade to acquire the first overall pick, the Browns now hold the most valuable pick in the draft at No. 2. We’ve heard before that Cleveland is likely willing to trade down, and Cole points to the 49ers, Eagles, and Jets as clubs that could be interested in moving up to No. 2 with the intent of selecting a quarterback.
[RELATED: Titans working to trade back into top 10?]
Peter King of the MMQB.com also sheds some light on the situation, relaying that he’s also heard the Browns are trying to trade back in the draft. “Cleveland’s active, doing their due diligence,” one executive told King, which makes it seem as though the Browns are open to a bevy of scenarios. Like Cole, King also points to the Eagles and Jets as possible suitors for the second pick, and adds the Cowboys as a team that might consider moving ahead in order to land its quarterback of the future.
But the Browns could pass on a quarterback even if they stay at No. 2, and King believes the team’s decision-makers have internally discussed that option. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, appearing today on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast, said he thinks Sashi Brown & Co. were going to bypass a QB even before the Rams moved up to No. 1, arguing that the Browns want to build up the rest of their roster before investing in a signal-caller. Additionally, per King, Browns head coach Hue Jackson is confident that he can not only revitalize the career of Robert Griffin III, but find a suitable quarterback prospect in the second round.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Browns Met With Cody Kessler
- USC quarterback Cody Kessler has worked out for and/or visited the Chargers, Saints, Browns, and Lions, among others, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). At 6’1″ and 215 pounds, Kessler is slight, but he’s thrown for 88 touchdowns and just 19 interceptions during three seasons as the Trojans starter. Kessler is projected as a seventh-round pick or UDFA on CBSSports.com’s big board, but Rapoport hears that he could go a lot higher than is expected.