The first round of the draft has come and gone and the Cleveland Browns did not acquire a quarterback. According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the team was aggressive in trying to deal for Marcus Mariota. They reportedly offered two first-round draft picks for the former Oregon star, but the Tennessee Titans shot everything down and drafted the Heisman winner. With doubt surrounding Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown, what is next for the Browns' quarterback spot?
Marcus Mariota is out of the picture and so is Sam Bradford for Cleveland. The Philadelphia Eagles did not yield to the first-round pick package and are keeping Bradford on the roster. They too did not land Mariota and need Bradford to be the starter. That leaves the Browns back at square one with Manziel and McCown headlining the quarterback rotation. After using their two first-round draft picks on defense and the offensive line, the Browns must address the quarterback and wide receiver spots in the upcoming two rounds.
There are good quarterback options available in the second round. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that round two will likely see one of them coming to the Browns. With No. 43 pick in the second round, Brett Hundley, Bryce Petty and Garrett Grayson will all be available. There will be several teams eyeing all three options. The New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos are predicted to take a quarterback in the upcoming two rounds. The Browns will be able to land at least one of them with Grayson potentially being the favorite since he is the more tradition player of the bunch.
The wide receiver position must also be a focus. According to ESPN, many draft experts were surprised the Browns passed on receiving options in the first round after losing Josh Gordon again. The team has Andrew Hawkins and Brian Hartline, but they are not No. 1 guys. The Browns would be wise to try and get someone like Jaelen Strong who dropped out of the first round. Devin Smith, Chris Conley and Sammie Coates are also available for the picking. Dorial Green-Beckham is a strong option as well. If the Browns want any quarterback to be successful in their offense, getting a wide receiver should be a priority.
