The Cleveland Browns looked like their quarterback rotation was set. The team had Johnny Manziel returning despite the offseason drama surrounding him and they had signed Josh McCown to a contract as both a potential starter and mentor. However, it was revealed on Wednesday that the Browns' confidence in their quarterbacks might not be as strong as assumed after an attempt to acquire Sam Bradford failed. Could the Browns still be in the market for one more quarterback?
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Eagles traded for Sam Bradford in a move that surprised many. Eagles coach Chip Kelly gave up Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-round draft pick and a 2016 second-round draft pick for the quarterback. In a teleconference following the deal, Kelly revealed that a team actually offered him a first-round draft pick for Bradford after the trade was complete and most assume that team was the Cleveland Browns.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, it seems likely the Browns attempted to grab Bradford in a deal considering they have two first-round picks. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report was the first to report the Browns' interest in Bradford during the NFL scouting combine. Most NFL analysts believe Bradford could really be that quarterback to keep the Browns competitive over someone like McCown.
Owner Jimmy Haslam has continued to state the Browns will do whatever it takes to get a franchise quarterback. If it is not Manziel and certainly not McCown, is Marcus Mariota still in the mix? The Browns have been linked to the Oregon star since he declared for the draft. They have the draft picks to be able to trade up and get him. With the Eagles declaring they are not interested in moving up, is the door wide open for Cleveland to do it?
If the Browns feel Mariota is the quarterback to take them to the next level, the move must be made. Manziel is a question mark. McCown is a short-term fix. Mariota would be the long-term guy. Cleveland is putting an offense in place with Brian Hartline and good running backs. Mariota could be the final piece of the puzzle if Bradford is not.