Here are just a few names being thrown around: Alex Smith, Nick Foles, Matt Moore, Matt Flynn, Ryan Mallett and Joe Flacco. Of course, Flacco is a complete pipe dream, while Smith doesn’t exactly fit the Browns’ new offensive scheme. Foles and Mallet don’t seem to be going anywhere (the same goes for the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins). And Moore or Flynn? What exactly makes them better than Weeden right now?

It’s true that Weeden’s best friend could be a weak crop of quarterbacks, though the Browns are certainly doing their due diligence on the incoming draft class. It would be a surprise to not see them go after one in a later round as a developmental project, but that still pretty much guarantees that Weeden’s job is safe.

The chatter is that the front office is concerned with Weeden’s age, but that still doesn’t mean much right now. Unless the Browns are willing to give up some top picks, which they certainly can’t afford to do this year, they will be stuck with an option as unproven or unsatisfying as Weeden is in their eyes.

Joe Flacco isn’t coming to Cleveland. Prepare your mind for another season of Brandon Weeden, Browns fans.

Two of those names include Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace and Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. The Browns are said to be very interested in Wallace, who perfectly fits the Browns’ new vertical offense. On the other hand, Flacco is a pipe dream, something that also happens when a team is far under the salary cap.

Wallace is certainly an expendable component of the Steelers’ offense and he is likely looking for a four-year deal worth at least $10 million per season. With all that money burning a hole in their pocket, the Browns could certainly stand to sign Wallace, especially when one considers that he is only 26 years old.

See? That makes sense.

Now, for Flacco, there are oh-so-many reasons as to why he won’t be coming to Cleveland. For one thing, Baltimore is going to do everything in its power to keep him. No team just lets a franchise quarterback float away to a division rival like that. Sure, the Browns can sign him to an offer sheet the Ravens just can’t match (and they’ll get two first-round picks in the process), but what makes anyone think they’ll even let it get to that point? Baltimore is either getting a contract done or using its franchise tag capabilities on him.

For Browns fans and many members of the media, Flacco coming to Cleveland is fun to think about, but that pesky thing called reality likes to show up at the worst times. So why not embrace it and start thinking about Mike Wallace instead?

It should be noted that, in a season dominated by quarterbacks, two of the top-four defenses are still in the hunt (Baltimore and San Francisco). More so, quarterbacks like Joe Flacco and Alex Smith, who aren’t considered “elite,” have an opportunity to prove the pertinence of this school of thought: Solid, while not necessarily stellar, quarterback play and strong defense can win your team a championship.

But things could still swing the other way. Tom Brady and Eli Manning are both under center for explosive offensive teams with porous, yet opportunistic, defenses. The conference championship match-ups are going to be major clashes in style, and it will be intriguing to see which wins out.

So who wins this Sunday? Does Joe Flacco silence his critics? Will Tom Brady make another run at a Super Bowl? Do the Giants continue their remarkable playoff run? Will the 49ers build on their impressive fourth-quarter performance against the New Orleans Saints?