It Doesn’t Mean Anything That QB Brandon Weeden Was “Plan B” for the Cleveland Browns
In an interview on WKNR on Tuesday morning, Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren confirmed again what most people have suspected since the draft ended two weeks ago: quarterback Brandon Weeden was somewhat of a Plan B. While the team was targeting a wide receiver (specifically Kendall Wright) at No. 22, the draft selections in front of them opened the door for the Browns to consider Weeden earlier than planned.
The team had been targeting Weeden regardless, so does it mean anything that he was technically their Plan B?
Of course not.
It is very rare to see a team get every piece it covets in a draft. For the Browns to even get two of their top three options should be considered a major success. The fact that Weeden was their backup plan at No. 22 does not mean that they don’t like him or feel that he can’t lead the team right away. They simply understood that the wide receiver position was a hole that required first-round talent and they weren’t able to get it, so they moved on to the next best thing.
Really, it would have been incredibly difficult for the Browns to mess up that first round. In Weeden and running back Trent Richardson, the team was able to land two offensive playmakers. And while it wasn’t as flashy a pick as Kendall Wright might have been, Travis Benjamin is an intriguing prospect due to his blazing speed.
In other words, no one should be worried that Brandon Weeden was Plan B for the Browns at No. 22. It doesn’t mean they aren’t confident in his abilities and it doesn’t mean the Browns’ draft was ruined.
What it does mean is that the team is hitching its wagon to Weeden, making him the latest Plan A at quarterback. They’re just hoping this is the one that sticks.