Report: Browns front runners to trade up for Marcus Mariota
By Thomas Moore
Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) passes against the Florida State Seminoles in the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Browns are considered the front runners to make a trade with the Tennessee Titans in the hopes of landing Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, according to Tony Pauline at draftinsider.net.
In his latest post, Pauline writes that:
"“Expect the talk of teams wanting to trade up for Marcus Mariota to pick up intensity in the coming week. From all accounts I’m hearing the Cleveland Browns are the front runners and working hardest in the hopes of acquiring the quarterback. Early last week I was told the asking price from the Tennessee Titans was both of the Browns first round picks as well as their choice in the second round, to which Cleveland replied no. Understandable Tennessee would have a high asking price at this point and even more understandable the Browns would say no. I’m told the Browns may be willing to part with both first round picks for Maroita but want to hold on to the second round choice to draft a much needed receiver.”"
Pulling off a trade for Mariota would be a huge move for the Browns and general manager Ray Farmer, who is still dealing with criticism over his two first-round picks in 2014, Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel. And if the Browns could somehow pull off a deal without adding next year’s No. 1 pick? That would make it even harder to pass on.
If Mariota is the real deal, he solves the Browns’ quarterback issue for the next decade and instantly turns the team into a contender.
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If not? Well, then Farmer may learn the same hard lesson that the people who occupied his office before him learned.
Any potential deal with Tennessee won’t happen until draft night – the Browns can’t take the risk of making a trade without knowing that Mariota is still on the board – but it would make sense for them to continue working on the details of the trade with the Titans now. If it falls apart, they haven’t lost anything but time.
For now, let’s file this one under the heading of “particularly intriguing” and see what happens.
Do you think trading two first-round picks to draft Marcus Mariota is a good idea?