The Cleveland Browns are in Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. Will all that work result in another quarterback being selected in the draft?
The NFL Scouting Combine gets underway in ernest today as the first group of players take the field for their workouts.
The day will see the running backs, offensive linemen and specialists perform their various drills, but since there is no chance at the Cleveland Browns will select a player at that position in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, all the talk is about the quarterbacks.
Head coach Hue Jackson met with the media on Thursday and talked about what he wants from his future quarterback, according to clevelandbrowns.com:
"“The dual threat ability is definitely last. You have to play to the strength of the player. I think if I had to build a perfect quarterback, first it would be accuracy. He’s gotta be able to throw the ball straight, he’s gotta be able to throw the ball to the person he intended to throw it to. You have to have arm talent. I think that’s really important. And I don’t know if you mentioned this, but this is really important to me, he has to be able to process football at a high level. I think football IQ is really important."
"“And then I think leadership is paramount. A guy has to be able to lead and uplift a football team to get them to follow him to get them the best they can be because sometimes as the quarterback you’ve got to go challenge people to do a little bit more than what they’re used to. And I think it’s important that a guy has that trait.”"
As none of the quarterbacks currently on the Browns roster possess those traits, it may be safe to conclude that Cleveland will be using a draft pick again this year on a quarterback. Who that might be, or which round it may occur, remains a mystery for now.
All that and more in today’s edition of the Daily Dawg Tags.
Cleveland Browns news:
Is latest Jimmy Garoppolo news just a smokescreen?
Jimmy Garoppolo is reportedly not available in trades anymore, but that news could be out there in order to drive the price up for teams like the Cleveland Browns.
When it comes to the Combine, don’t believe the hype
It is easy to latch on to a player based on how he looks during the NFL Combine, but Cleveland Browns fans must not hold rash opinions after the event.
Colin Kaepernick on the Browns? No thanks
The Cleveland Browns were linked to have interest in Colin Kaepernick in 2016, but should not pursue any sort of discussions with the quarterback in 2017.
Hue Jackson plans to interview quarterbacks at the Combine (Morning Journal)
"Browns coach Hue Jackson likes big quarterbacks, and Mitch Trubisky passes that critical part of the eye test. Soon after the quarterback from Mentor High School and the University of North Carolina measured in at 6-foot-2 1/8 the morning of March 2 at the NFL Scouting Combine, Jackson stepped to the podium to address the media. Naturally, because they pertained to the Browns’ dire situation, most of the questions for Jackson were about quarterbacks."
NFL Rumor Central: 49ers, Browns, Jets like Tyrod Taylor (ESPN)
"With NFL free agency approaching, several quarterback-needy teams will be scouring the market. And one signal-caller who could be available is Tyrod Taylor, if the Buffalo Bills opt to release him."
NFL news:
Salary-cap flexibility grades for all 32 NFL teams in 2017 (ESPN)
"NFL salary-cap management is no longer about finding creative ways to squeeze players underneath a tight limit. Now, after four consecutive years of at least $10 million annual jumps, most teams have more cap space than they know what to do with. The 2017 cap will be $167 million, representing a nearly 40 percent rise over five years. The average team is projected to have about $40 million in cap space, ranging from more than $100 million for the Cleveland Browns to less than $10 million for several other teams, when the new league year begins March 9."
Patriots face a number of variables in deciding what to do with Garoppolo (Boston Herald)
"One of the biggest pieces of news kicking off the day at the NFL’s scouting combine yesterday was an ESPN report claiming the Patriots were not trading Jimmy Garoppolo. It’s not the first time that notion has been out there. But the timing is significant given all the movers and shakers from the league are assembled here and Jimmy G trade talk figured to be a hot behind-the-scenes topic between the Patriots and quarterback-needy teams."
10 sleepers to watch at the Scouting Combine (USA Today)
"There’s no such thing as an unknown at the NFL scouting combine anymore, but some of the 330 invites are still receiving limited attention. For small-school prospects, Indianapolis can serve as a proving ground that they belong with their more highly touted colleagues. As testing begins this week, here are 10 sleepers to keep an eye on."
10 free agents who can make an instant impact (PFF)
"With the franchise tag deadline come and gone, we now take a look at those who will likely hit the free-agent market. Here are 10 players set to become free agents who can make immediate impacts next season."