Daily Dawg Tags: Browns QB picture slowly coming into focus
By Thomas Moore
The Cleveland Browns have not figured out the quarterback position, but the picture will become clearer starting this week.
The Cleveland Browns are on the hunt for a new quarterback for the 2018 season.
As the team movies through the first full month of the offseason, no one knows what the ultimate outcome will be. That list includes general manager John Dorsey, the scouts, the players, the media and the legion of Twitter insiders.
But the picture will start to come into focus in the coming weeks as with a series of key dates, starting this Thursday when Cincinnati Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron has a hearing about his free agency status.
McCarron contends that his rookie season, the majority of which he spent on the inactive list, should count as an accrued season because he was healthy enough to play. The Bengals believe otherwise and it will be up to the league to decide of McCarron is an unrestricted free agent who can sign with anyone, or a restricted free agent that will require additional compensation to the Bengals if he leaves in free agency.
Cleveland Browns
If head coach Hue Jackson has his way, the Browns will be players for McCarron no matter what the cost. It was Jackson, after all, who had owner Jimmy Haslam ready to trade multiple draft picks for McCarron last fall at the trading deadline, and there is no reason to believe that his lust to overpay for a career backup has been sated.
The annual Scouting Combine comes around from Feb. 27 through March 5 and Browns fans will have March 3 circled on their calendars as that is the day that quarterbacks will go through their drills.
The Browns hold the No. 1 and No. 4 overall selections in the 2018 NFL Draft and if they like one of the available quarterbacks there is nothing stopping them from selecting that player. It may not mean anything, but Scot McCloughan, who has joined the front office as a consultant, likes Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, and in what is certainly a coincidence, the first draftable quarterback the Browns have scheduled a meeting with is Mayfield.
Dorsey can end all the quarterback speculation come the middle of March, of course, if the Browns simply hand the equivalent of a blank check to quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will be leaving the Washington Redskins after playing the last two years under the franchise tag.
The quarterback picture is fuzzy at the moment, but the Browns and Dorsey have plenty of options when it comes to fixing the problem. And while they may not know how it will all play out, we will all start getting a better idea in the coming weeks.
Cleveland Browns news:
What would Le’Veon Bell cost in free agency?
Free agent to be Le’Veon Bell said it would cost the New York Jets $100 million to lure him in 2018 NFL Free Agency, so what would it cost the Cleveland Browns?
Fans will return when Browns start winning
The Cleveland Browns may not be the hot ticket in town, but history shows that if the team starts winning the fans will come back.
Should the Browns pursue Malcolm Butler or Trumaine Johnson in free agency?
With the Cleveland Browns needing an upgrade at cornerback they could look to Malcolm Butler or Trumaine Johnson, but which choice would be best?
6 free agent safeties who can help the Browns (Browns Wire)
"Safety is an odd position of need for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns sorely need a coverage safety, one comfortable aligning some 20 yards from the line of scrimmage and providing over-the-top cover help to both sidelines. Here are six safeties who will be free agents the Browns should consider signing to help bolster the safety ranks, presented in alphabetical order."
NFL news:
Frank Reich to become Colts next head coach (NFL.com)
"One of the guiding forces behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory will be the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich agreed to a five-year deal Sunday to become the Colts’ head coach, a source informed of the talks between the sides told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo."
Impact of the John DeFilippo hire in Minnesota (vikings.com)
"John DeFilippo is young and seems to be energetic out on the field and on the sidelines."
Alex Smith jacked to be joining the Redskins (Washington Post)
"The trade won’t be official until next month, but quarterback Alex Smith is already psyched about being the new starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins."
Reuben Foster’s latest arrest puts spotlight on Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch (Mercury News)
"The 49ers entered this weekend with nothing but good vibes after holding a press conference to announce quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s new five-year contract on Friday. Well, those good vibes are gone. You can thank Reuben Foster for that."