Cleveland Browns reportedly visited with QB Paxton Lynch
By Thomas Moore
The Cleveland Browns, who are expected to select a quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft, reportedly visited with Memphis QB Paxton Lynch.
Even with the signing last week of free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III, the Cleveland Browns remain in the hunt for a quarterback, which helps explain why they reportedly visited with Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch on Monday.
Memphis QB Paxton Lynch visited #Browns today, source said
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 28, 2016
Lynch is considered by many draft experts to be at the top of the second-tier of quarterbacks, after Cal’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, who will be available come draft weekend. With the Browns holding the No. 2 overall pick they are expected to select between Goff and Wentz, but their interest in Lynch may signal that Cleveland could be going in another direction.
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A redshirt junior, Lynch has completed 67 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,778 yards, 28 touchdowns and just three interceptions this season for the Tigers. His numbers improved from his sophomore year, when he had a completion percentage of 62 percent, while throwing for 3,031 yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions, which is the kind of growth you like to see.
One of the biggest questions surrounding Lynch’s ability to transition to the NFL is that he was not asked to do much in Memphis’ offense – but that doesn’t mean he can’t do it, at least according to one of his former coaches.
“We didn’t do a whole lot of checking at the line of scrimmage, no reading blitzes and making protection adjustments, but he’s very capable of doing that,” Memphis assistant coach Darrell Dickey told Monday Morning Quarterback. “He could give a receiver a different route, but he didn’t have the freedom to do whatever he wanted.”
According to his draft profile at NFL.com:
"While the hype around “dual threat” quarterbacks has subsided, Lynch possesses the size and athleticism to make NFL teams take a second look. Unlike other size/speed quarterbacks like Vince Young and Colin Kaepernick, Lynch prefers to extend passing plays with his feet rather than bolting from the pocket, but he is still likely to make plenty of plays with his feet over the long haul. Lynch shows the ability to read defenses and make smart decisions, but not yet at an NFL starting level. While he has the physical tools to start right away, a team who is willing to allow him to sit and study his craft for a year could reap maximum rewards in the future."
It seems highly unlikely that the Browns would select Lynch at No. 2, but if a trade offer comes along to move down in the draft – or if the Browns see an opportunity to move up from No. 32 – then Lynch could come into play. And with Griffin on the roster, the idea of selecting a quarterback who could deliver “maximum rewards” with a little bit of nurturing, then Lynch could continue to move up in the eyes of the decision makers in Berea.