Report: Browns “covet” Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota
By Paul Noel
The Cleveland Browns always seem to be linked to several quarterbacks every draft season, and this year is no different as there has been one prospect that the Browns are always tied too, and that is Oregon’s Marcus Mariota.
This time last week Tony Pauline at draftinsider.net broke the story that the Browns were considered the front runners to make a trade with the Tennessee Titans in the hopes of landing Mariota. Now, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network is reporting that the Browns have talked with the Washington Redskins over the past week about potentially moving up to No. 5 in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Rapoport also mentioned that the Browns have touched base with most of the top 10 teams in the draft. Rapoport followed this up by saying he’s been told the Browns “covet” Mariota, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
#Browns have had talks with #Redskins over the past week about potentially moving up to No. 5. They’ve touched base with most Top 10 teams
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2015
It’s hard to make heads or tails of all the reports, but they are very consistent in the fact that the Browns are interested in Mariota. Back on April 9, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk had a similar tone about the Browns, stating that they are truly interested in using their two first-round picks in 2015 to move up and get Mariota, per multiple league sources.
"After burning a first-round pick in 2012 on Brandon Weeden and a first-round pick in 2014 on Johnny Manziel, the Browns are truly interested in using their two first-round picks in 2015 to move up and get Marcus Mariota, per multiple league sources. – Mike Florio"
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The Titans have shown interest in drafting Mariota for themselves, but nearly every top 5 team is taking a look at the Oregon quarterback. If the Browns don’t get a deal done with Tennessee and Mariota slips past the second pick, the Redskins would be the natural choice for a trade to occur at the fifth pick. The Redskins, of course, have also expressed interest in taking Mariota for themselves.
In addition to the Redskins, other teams of note that have been tied thus to Mariota in the upcoming draft are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
Although the Browns have the trade ammunition to move up to perhaps the second or fifth pick, it makes more sense to stay put and get the best players available and fill needs on the roster. There is a great chance that the Browns have a shot to land a top flight receiver like Amari Cooper, Kevin White or DeVante Parker with the 12th overall pick, and of course they could land an impact defensive player in the 12 to 19 range like Washington’s Danny Shelton.
Trading up will only limit the chance of the Browns landing quality help early in this draft class, and it only demonstrates that the club’s front office is willing to hit the reset button on the quarterback position for the third time in four years on draft day.
Of course there is always the hope that if they do pull the trigger, maybe this time they get it right and lock up a franchise quarterback. I guess we will all have to wait and see come Thursday night.
Do you think trading up to No.5 in the draft for Marcus Mariota is a good idea?