Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer told the media at the NFL scouting combine that the team was prepared to search far and wide for their starting quarterback. No longer able to count on Johnny Manziel to be the future of the franchise, the Browns must decide the best direction to take and they are starting as early as possible with their search. As veteran quarterbacks meet with the Browns about contracts, could a trade be the intended move before the draft?
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, the Browns met with veteran quarterback Josh McCown over the past two days, but let him walk away without a contract. Since getting released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, McCown has garnered plenty of interest on the free agent market, meeting with the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears. Despite his low stats with Tampa Bay, must view McCown as an excellent stop-gap options. The Browns could certainly use the veteran for help, but appear set on remaining patient.
McCown likely did not sign a contract with the Browns because Farmer is first looking to meet with Brian Hoyer before making a decision. ProFootballTalk.com was the first to report that Farmer and Hoyer were set to meet to discuss everything from the ongoing NFL investigation regarding texting to a potential contract extension. Hoyer kept the Browns competitive during his time as a starting quarterback and could easily keep that up. The quarterback has said he is interested in a return to Cleveland, but only if guaranteed the starting job. He is not interested in another quarterback competition.
The Browns could also be eyeing a trade before the NFL Draft. According to ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler, two NFL sources are reporting the Browns are interested in trading for Tampa Bay backup Mike Glennon. Tampa Bay has toyed with the idea of trading Glennon after the released McCown and have searched for his potential return value on the open market. Right now, Tampa Bay are favored to draft Jameis Winston No. 1 overall. They need another starting quarterback on the roster in case the rookie is not ready to start immediately. That could easily be Glennon considering he is not signed to some demanding contract. But if the Buccaneers believe they can get anything for the quarterback, they might take it.
The favored quarterback move for the Browns appears to be trading up for Marcus Mariota. Armed with two first-round draft picks, Cleveland could easily get a deal done. However, they would still need a veteran to help out since Manziel is an unknown. That will not be Hoyer or McCown as both aim to remain starters. Farmer has a lot of work on his hands and the quarterback search is really just beginning for Cleveland.
