Does RG3 take Browns out of drafting Carson Wentz or Jared Goff?
The Cleveland Browns have made a dramatic move at quarterback, signing Robert Griffin III as a reclamation project.
The move comes four years after they failed to land him in a pre-draft trade with the St. Louis Rams, with the Washington Redskins beating them to the punch. The Browns might be able to get the best out of Griffin if he can find a way back up after his full-circle ascension and subsequent crash, but as Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson notes this was not a move that either the Browns or Griffin really saw coming even as recently as a few months ago.
Even though Griffin likely opens the season as the Browns’ starter the way things sit right now, that doesn’t mean they’re not going to draft a quarterback. In fact, it’s almost certain they’ll take one. But they might not be taking one at No. 2 overall.
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If the Browns love Carson Wentz or Jared Goff, by all means, take one of them there. It’s the right move if you trust your evaluations. Quarterbacks are hard to find, and Cleveland of any place can tell you that. The Browns have started eight quarterbacks since Griffin entered the league. Think about that a moment.
So Griffin is in tow for two years and $15 million, and him excelling with the Browns could push that number past $20 million. That’s not crazy money for a successful quarterback; after all, six NFL quarterbacks will be paid that in 2016 alone. Brock Osweiler is one of them.
The Browns must know that Griffin, who just turned 26, could turn out to be a terrific find and a savior. But he also is far from a guarantee. Drafting a quarterback high is the only real insurance they can take out to make sure. They also let word get out minutes after the RG3 signing that Josh McCown, soon to turn 37, could be had. And there might actually be a lukewarm market for his services, with little clarity with the QB situations with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos or the Rams, now in Los Angeles.
The only cold water we’ll throw on Wentz or Goff at 2 is that they Browns might not love either one. But they’ve gone out of their way to praise both, having seen each up close at their respective pro days, and that’s the right move. Others might want to trade up, so keep the interest level appearing to be high no matter what.
The Browns are in a good spot to make a deal now, and there are whispers that other teams — maybe the Philadelphia Eagles at 8? — could want to move up. They don’t even have to set the price tag exceptionally high, but they likely won’t want to move too far down in the draft, either.
But two things here: The Browns have to be sure there’s a player they like to move down for, and if that player isn’t a quarterback, they must make a strong consideration to come back with one at No. 32 overall. The Browns own the first pick of the second round, and they would even have to be prepared to trade into the late 20s to secure the right guy.
Yes, that would have a bit of a Brady Quinn/Brandon Weeden/Johnny Manziel feel to it, taking a QB in the 20s with your second first-rounder. But the Browns can’t let their squalid drafting history affect their future approach. And they can’t assume that Griffin will be a hit, even with the magic touch of Hue Jackson.
So if not Wentz or Goff, then who? The Browns are known to have met with Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott at his pro day, with Memphis’ Paxton Lynch at the NFL combine and with Michigan State’s Connor Cook at both his pro day and the combine. All three have different skill sets, so it’s clear that the Browns are turning over every stone. If you had to pick the ones whose skills most match Griffin, it would not be a perfect fit but you might lean toward Lynch or Prescott.
The Browns also have done extensive work on top-10 possibilities such as Ohio State DE-OLB Joey Bosa and UCLA LB Myles Jack (with private workouts for both), as well as with Clemson DE-OLB Shaq Lawson and Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell, who might be possibilities more in the 8-15 range in the draft.
Expect the Browns to draft a quarterback in the first 32 picks no matter what. It could happen at 2, it could be via trade down from there, or up from 32, or perhaps kicking off Day 2 of the draft. Griffin is a fascinating start toward rebuilding the franchise, but his salary clearly suggests “bridge QB,” not assumed savior. The Browns seem to understand that it’s better to have two options at quarterback instead of one, and that’s the route we expect them to take.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
