What should the Cleveland Browns do at quarterback?
With the Draft just over a month away, teams will be looking to fill any remaining weaknesses with young talent from the college ranks. For much of their recent history, the Cleveland Browns have had a constant weakness; quarterback. The Browns have fielded 26 starting quarterbacks since 1999. So how can they finally fix the game’s most important position?
Draft a Quarterback
For most teams, the best route to finding their next franchise quarterback is through the Draft. But the Browns have struggled to find a good passer in the Draft for several years. They traded down from the 2nd overall pick last year and watched as Philadelphia drafted impressive rookie Carson Wentz, who is a better player than any of the top quarterbacks available in this years class. However, this years top prospects could all fit into head coach Hue Jackson’s no-huddle spread offense whilst benefiting from a power run game.
UNC’s Mitch Trubisky, an Ohio native who has said he’d love to play for the Browns, played in a spread offense last season and was even tasked with making pre-snap reads in Larry Fedora’s system; something most spread quarterbacks don’t do. Deshaun Watson also played in a spread system at Clemson, and has off-the-charts leadership qualities and intangibles, and steps up in big games. Cleveland needs locker room leaders who know how to win. However, rumours persist that the Browns aren’t sold on any of this year’s prospects.
Trade for Jimmy Garoppolo
For most of the off-season, Cleveland has been linked to a potential trade for New England Patriots back-up Jimmy Garoppolo. Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown has brought Moneyball to the NFL, with a focus on accumulating as many draft picks as possible to maximise the chances of finding great players. However, having four picks in the first two rounds of April’s Draft could serve another purpose; trade leverage.
After several trades in free agency, the Patriots do not currently hold a draft pick in the first two rounds. While rumours persist that Bill Belichick wants to keep Garoppolo, ‘Trader Bill’ has always traded valuable players for the right price instead of letting them leave for nothing in free agency. Garoppolo would be a great fit in Jackson’s scheme as the Patriots also utilise a no-huddle spread system. Garoppolo impressed as Tom Brady’s stand-in for two games before injury and is a more proven prospect that any quarterback in this year’s Draft.
Wait for the 2018 class
If a trade for Garoppolo fails and the Browns aren’t sold on any of this year’s prospects, they could field a veteran for a year before finding a franchise passer in what could be a loaded 2018 class. UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson could all be on the board in a draft where Cleveland currently holds another four picks in the first two rounds. Cody Kessler, who showed promise in his rookie season, or someone like Jay Cutler or Colin Kaepernick would be a serviceable stop-gap until next year’s Draft.
So what to do?
For me, it isn’t worth trading away any of their stockpile of picks for Jimmy G, who has only had two career starts. Not in a draft that is so deep at running back, receiver, and on defense. The Browns would be better off drafting as much young talent as they can on both sides of the ball this year than trading for or selecting a quarterback. Cody Kessler can be a decent one year starter, particularly if the Browns draft an offensive weapon like LSU running back Leonard Fournette or Alabama tight end O.J. Howard 12th overall.
Garoppolo will likely be a free agent next season, and the Patriots will probably let him test the market depending on how well Brady plays, and the Browns would likely have enough cap space to sign him to a deal. It’s possible that Garoppolo will have a couple more starts under his belt by then, which could lower the risk of acquiring him. If not, they could draft their quarterback of the future from a potentially loaded 2018 Draft class.
