Cleveland Browns: 2017 offseason QB talk mirroring 2016
The Cleveland Browns once again own picks early in the NFL Draft, bringing back a familiar discussion when it comes to the Draft and quarterbacks.
It wouldn’t be a Cleveland Browns offseason if there wasn’t rampant talk about the quarterback position. This will continue until the Browns find a franchise quarterback, which once again eluded the team’s grasp in 2016.
The Browns enter this year’s NFL Draft with the No. 1 overall pick, meaning the possibilities are endless when it comes down to whom to select.
Many fans want the team to focus on the defensive side of the ball, while others want the team to go after a quarterback. The options there include Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer, and Mitch Trubisky, although none of those players has emerged as the clear favorite.
This is a similar situation to last season, when Browns fans held long discussions about whether the team should draft Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. This died down a bit when the team signed Robert Griffin III, but the return of the quarterback talk shows this is a recurring cycle here in Cleveland.
The Browns opted not to select a quarterback early in last year’s Draft, and that should hold true this year. Myles Garrett is the early consensus pick as the most talented prospect, making it hard for the Browns to pass up on the opportunity to take him No. 1 overall.
But the Browns also own the No. 12 pick, which is where a quarterback can be taken. The situation changes depending on who is drafted with the first 11 picks, but the yearly discussions will heat up about which quarterback is the next Bernie Kosar.
This can all change if the Browns get a quarterback in free agency or via a trade, but the signing of Griffin followed by the drafting of Cody Kessler showed that any situation is possible.
The key for Hue Jackson and the Browns will be to wait until a great fit is found. Even if this means waiting until 2018 to heavily invest in a quarterback, this major decision should not be rushed. Passing on Wentz last year was an example of this, and passing on the top quarterback prospects in this year’s Draft may be the next step. That is, if Jackson isn’t confident any of them are capable of being great quarterbacks with the Browns.
Next: What should the Browns do at QB?
Regardless of what happens, it will be nice when the offseason focus isn’t directly on the quarterback position. That is what Hue Jackson is looking to fix, although it may not be done in 2017.