Cleveland Browns: Kirk Cousins to Cleveland news seems off

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly interested in making a trade for Kirk Cousins, although the news is a bit hard to believe.

It never seems to end, does it?

“Kirk Cousins to the Cleveland Browns” rumors are starting up again, but I’m not sure how much sense it all really makes. Back a few weeks ago, rumors began that Kirk Cousins had demanded to be traded out of Washington to the San Francisco 49ers to reunite with his old coach Kyle Shanahan.

As of yesterday, via Pro Football Talk, Cleveland “may make a run” to acquire Kirk Cousins:

"Per a league source, there’s a growing belief in some circles that the Browns will try to acquire Cousins via trade. Another source said that, when Cousins chose to sign his franchise tender last week, the one concern he had is that, after the tender is signed, he can be traded. He specifically was concerned about being traded to Cleveland."

Cleveland.com’s own Mary Kay Cabot responded a few hours later to the claim that Pro Football Talk made:

"The Browns aren’t expected to make a run at Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, but three other teams have over the past 10 days or so and were immediately turned down."

Pro Football Talk then fired back, taking a shot, at Mary Kay Cabot for using an unnamed source after they did the exact same thing with less information a few hours after that:

"Cabot cites an unnamed league source in support of the report, and presumably the source is someone with the Browns who is in a position to directly know the team’s thinking. The specific phrasing — “aren’t expected” — provides wiggle room for the expectations to change; indeed, it was hardly a total categorical denial of the possibility."

Today, Pro Football Talk is rolling with their claim by following up with a “How much should the Browns offer for Kirk Cousins” article after Cabot, who follows the Browns closely, refuted their claim.

Now regardless of the lack of foundation regarding this speculation from this unnamed source from Pro Football Talk, this trade would make no sense. The Cleveland Browns have made it adamant and obvious that their main goal is to acquire New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo via multiple sources, regardless of his “untradeable” status. The Browns have still been making aggressive moves to acquire Garoppolo and the trade talks have been reported to be “not dead“.

Also, acquiring Kirk Cousins would be a huge mistake for the Browns, mostly due to the fact of the back and forth drama Cousins is in with his current team and his lack of ability to cement him status as a franchise quarterback. Also, given the amount of money Kirk Cousins has been trying to demand from his current team, that doesn’t sound like something the this analytical Browns regime would end up signing up for in the long run. Especially after they have already dedicated themselves to a salary dump with their recent acquisition, Brock Osweiler.

This all just feels kind of odd. Maybe the Cleveland Browns are trying to turn up the heat on the New England Patriots to trade Jimmy Garoppolo. Maybe the Cleveland Browns are trying to swing a three-way trade to acquire Kirk Cousins for Washington so they can swing Cousins to the San Francisco 49ers in order to stock up more draft picks.

Next: Post-free agent mock draft roundup

Nothing can be certain, but this rumor makes absolutely no sense given how buttoned up this new Browns regime has been.