Daily Dawg Tags: Believe the hype at your own risk

The Cleveland Browns need a quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo may be available. Should the Browns buy into the hype surrounding the latest hot quarterback?

Every year a backup quarterback gets anointed by the media as the next big thing and fans of quarterback needy teams eagerly jump on board.

We’ve seen it over the years with Scott Mitchell, Matt Flynn, Kevin Kolb, Nick Foles, Matt Cassell and on and on.

This year that player is New England quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo who, if the national media is to be believed, is Joe Montana, John Elway and Troy Aikman all rolled into one gloriously handsome football player.

This is quickly becoming accepted as fact because Garoppolo has spent three seasons in New England and thrown 94 career passes – some better than others. Oh, and he won a game this season on the road in primetime!

Could it be true? Could Garoppolo do what almost no one has done before him? Could he truly be the one and only, the man who could solve all the quarterback problems for the Cleveland Browns?

We tackle that big question, plus clear up a major misconception, in today’s edition of the Daily Dawg Tags.

Cleveland Browns news:

Don’t believe the Jimmy Garoppolo hype

The Cleveland Browns are in the mix for the services of Jimmy Garoppolo. But what is his real value? Hint: Don’t believe the Garoppolo hype.

The perpetual obsession with drafting skill players

Cleveland Browns fans continue to focus on the skill positions when the foundation of the team must be improved for those positions to matter.

The Browns did not fire Bill Belichick

The Cleveland Browns have made more than their share of mistakes during the past two decades, but firing Bill Belichick is not one you can pin on them.

Mock-draft consensus grows as Mel Kiper projects Myles Garrett No. 1 (ESPN)

Mock-draft season is gaining steam, and there is one consistent element in those done by ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr.: The Browns will select Myles Garrett with the first overall pick. McShay released his Mock 2.0 last week; Kiper released his today. Both say that Garrett’s combination of pass-rush skills and overall ability warrant going No. 1.

Julian Edelman calls Jimmy Garoppolo a gunslinger (cleveland.com)

Josh McCown isn’t the only NFL player who’s mentioned Jimmy Garoppolo in the same breath as Aaron Rodgers in the past week. Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who’s spent the past three seasons with Garoppolo in New England, compared Garoppolo’s mentality to that of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

NFL news:

Roddy White rips Kyle Shanahan (USA Today)

Former Falcons receiver Roddy White has never been a fan of Kyle Shanahan, and the former Atlanta offense coordinator’s play-calling down the stretch of Super Bowl LI did nothing to change his mind.

Beware of free agent running backs (Sports on Earth)

The 2017 class of free agent running backs will feature some enticing players. There’s Latavius Murray, the 27-year old back with the Oakland Raiders who went to the Pro Bowl in 2015; Mike Gillislee, who averaged an NFL-best 5.7 yards per carry with the Buffalo Bills this past season; LeGarrette Blount, coming off of his second Super Bowl championship with the New England Patriots, and the leader in rushing touchdowns in 2016; and, of course, Le’Veon Bell, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ star offensive weapon who built a solid case for league MVP even though he only played in 12 games. But one word of advice if you’re a GM thinking of signing any of these players to a free agent contract: Don’t.

Everything you need to know about the NFL’s franchise tag (ESPN)

It’s that time of year when the NFL reminds you its calendar rarely slows and never stops. Ten days after Super Bowl LI, the first window of player movement decisions has opened. Beginning Wednesday and continuing through March 1, teams can place the franchise tag on one pending free agent, a decision that is expensive but also provides massive leverage against losing a big-time player.

On the bubble: 30 AFC players who could be released (NFL.com)

Victor Cruz was the first big name released this offseason, but he won’t be the last. Expect the free-agent market to swell with more notable players before March 9, when the new league year starts. Here’s a look at some of the players on the roster bubble in the AFC.