Earlier in the offseason, the Cleveland Browns were tied to top free agent quarterback Malik Willis. Money was an issue, but the fit was certainly intriguing. Ultimately, they didn't enter the sweepstakes, and he wound up signing a two-year, $71.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Willis' impressive physical traits were certainly tantalizing, and it would be fun to watch him play under Todd Monken, given how he helped elevate Lamar Jackson's game. Nevertheless, that was just too much of a financial commitment for a player with limited experience as a starter.
Fast forward to today, and the Browns may have still landed their own version of Malik Willis. According to team insider Tony Grossi, Taylen Green's traits are reminiscent of the new Dolphins QB.
They just happened to get him for nearly $65 million less.
"At 6-6 and 227 pounds, Green is unlike any other QB Berry has drafted, signed, or traded for. He is the Browns’ Malik Willis – a tantalizing, if raw, quarterback prospect with elite physical traits that most coaches and GMs find irresistible," Grossi wrote.
The Browns may have landed a high-upside quarterback without the price tag
Of course, one would be naive to ignore the obvious red flags. As athletic as Green is, he was a turnover machine at Arkansas, and even though the Browns want him to be a quarterback, he might be better off at wide receiver.
Nevertheless, the Browns don't have an established quarterback right now. There's still an ongoing quarterback competition, and while Green might be at the bottom of the pecking order, there's still a minor chance that he could see the field at some point in the season.
His technique needs refining, and his decision-making left plenty to be desired. Also, as a 24-year-old rookie, this might be his only shot to stick at quarterback before being forced to switch positions or shown the door. That said, he's a gifted athlete with an NFL-ready body, a cannon for an arm, and shifty legs to extend plays by rolling out of the pocket.
Admittedly, Green's selection probably would've gone unnoticed if he had joined any of the other 31 teams. Still, since it's the Browns, it always feels like anybody has a chance to suit up and start at least one game for them — that has certainly been the case for most of the past two decades.
If that happens with Green and he turns out to be ahead of schedule, the Browns may have found a much cheaper version of the guy they may have wanted all along. And after all this team has been through at the position, getting four years of quarterback play for under $5 million instead of paying nearly $36 million a year for another unproven guy like Willis would feel like an absolute blessing.
Add us as a preferred source on Google