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Browns had deal for Bengals QB AJ McCarron, but failed to file paperwork on time

Updated on October 31, 2017 at 8:42 PM
By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com
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BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns not only can't win a football game, they dropped the ball on a trade on Tuesday for Bengals backup quarterback A.J. McCarron, whom Hue Jackson has coveted since the offseason.

The two clubs agreed to the trade close to the 4 p.m., and the Bengals sent in their paperwork on time, but the Browns did not, a league source said.

In the heat of the moment and with both clubs essentially running what amounted to a two-minute offense, the Browns fumbled the deal, sources said.

The near-trade was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Browns appealed to the NFL that the trade should be allowed, but the NFL rejected their request to push it through, according to Schefter.

Cincinnati.com reported that the Browns were offering a second round and a third round pick in 2018 for the 2014 fifth-round pick out of Alabama. The Browns have 12 selections in the upcoming draft, including two first rounders and three second rounders.

The Browns had no immediate comment on the report.

Related: Jackson pushed hard for Garoppolo and McCarron in the offseason

Sources told cleveland.com that Browns coach Hue Jackson had pushed for McCarron in the offseason after it became apparent that they weren't going to land New England backup Jimmy Garoppolo, who was traded Monday to the 49ers for a 2018 second-round pick.

But the front office was unwilling to make the deal for McCarron in the spring, sources told cleveland.com. Originally, the Bengals were hoping to land a first-round pick for the fourth-year pro.

They also made only a half-hearted attempt to trade for Garoppolo during draft weekend, offering a second-round pick and change, according to NFL Network.

The McCarron saga just another example of the discord between the Browns' coaching staff and front office, which has Browns owner Jimmy Haslam exasperated, according to sources.

The Browns also failed to land a much-needed receiver before the trade deadline. The Panthers, meanwhile, dealt receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills.

No, the front office is in serious trouble. Changes need to be made. Wentz was the big mistake. I just don't think Watson would have faired well in Cleveland when the weather changes, so i'm not as upset at that one.

And now these bozos were going to send a 2nd and a 3rd to the bengals - that is just incompetence. McCarron is nothing special. thank goodness the fax arrived late. And if Hugh was pushing this as well, and i'm sure he was - i'm all the more concerned.

We can not give Jackson more say, if this is his solution. And the front office needs help. We need a solid football guy to take the lead. I just don't necessarily blow up the analytics, i just demote them. Hire a football guy to have the final say.

This entire thing is a mess.

I didn't expect a lot of wins this year- so am not surprised at our record. But i am really concerned about the rift that seems to exist between the front office and coach. That is a a recipe for disaster. They are not on the same page.

They are all to blame. Coaching, front office, the youth movement. But as bleak as it looks, if wise decisions can be made with all of these picks, we should have a talented young team. And the cupboard is not bare. There is a core of young talent that needs experience. Just play them and get them the game experience that they need.

Especially play Kizer. I can't even imagine how much his head is swirling. I think Jackson has handled his development poorly. For being this offensive guru, he really hasn't helped put Kizer into a position to succeed. And now he is probably looking over his shoulder, make a mistake and on the bench. I really want to see if Kizer can improve in the next 8 games. Its not surprising that Kizer's numbers are terrible. The majority of the widereceivers are not even the same guys that were here in the offseason. It takes time to get timing down, and there are 3 new guys from camp, and Coleman is injured and Britt just isn't much help right now. Kizer is handcuffed with the wideouts. And the front office is responsible for the widereceivers.

Manning

Time to send Sashi and Depo packing. They are an embarrassment.

Along with the coaching staff. Fire them all.

I can't believe it has come to this again.

I don't think that the coaching staff is the problem.

But, I have no problem w/you disagreeing w/me.

I would love to keep the coaching staff and bring in real football people to run the front office.

I am not saying I am right...........just voicing my opinion.

They sure as H E double hockey sticks are part of the problem when they are sending emails to reporters that they should be sending to the owner.

There is not one GM on the planet that is going to want to work with a coach that does that.

The odds were slim that a front office change wouldn't mean a coaching change to start with. They are pretty much none now.

I don't mind the coaching staff. I think in the right spot that Hue Jackson would do well. He is not in the right spot. It was a strange hire to pair him with the analytics group from the beginning (I said so at the time, I recently posted all the old threads).

I believe the front office has the right approach, but they appear to be incompetent. Screwing up the Garoppolo situation and the McCarron trade are horrible (I think it's obvious Hue Jackson pushed for McCarron and the front office botched the paperwork (I am glad they did!)) and make the entire organization look like a joke. There are so many repercussions to that situation.

I get that you have defended the FO from the beginning and don't want to let go...........but, I get the feeling that the coaching staff knew that the FO was going to sacrifice them and refused to listen to evaluations and said enough is enough.

We all have our opinions. I support the coaching staff. Guys like you support the FO. I don't know who is right, but I've seen enough to not change my mind.

That is not going to change the fact that no GM is going to want to work with coaches that sell them out to the press.

Both Sashi and Hue managed to give away their jobs today.

Bingo. What team is going to want to deal with Sashi Brown in the future? He botched the paperwork which led to multiple different egg on the face situations.

Hue Jackson is actively undermining his bosses through the media.

Both are wrong. Both are fireable offenses.

You are probably right about that. But, I guarantee you that Hue has way more respect w/NFL people than Sashi does. There might be a GM who would be willing to work w/this coaching staff, but what coach would want to work w/this FO?

I don't think anyone would want to work with Hue Jackson if he was the head coach of this team. He made his bed. I think he could go elsewhere and find work.

The front office is toast.

And to think, we still have 8 more games to play.

I can hardly imagine the circus that's about to unfold.

The next press conference (if someone isn't fired by that time) should be interesting to say the least.

Haslam may have to call a press conference to try and quell the firestorm.

You're probably right, but there is a chance because Hue is well respected in the league and players love him. Additionally, I think most people in the league know how screwed up the plan was and how Sashi handcuffed Hue.

I better clarify this. I am not talking about dudes on this message board. I am talking about NFL people who know football.

Did Hue Jackson speak today? If he did I missed it.

It won't matter now because Haslam is going to be firing both.

And we are again back to step one again. Hit the nuke button and beg people to work for us.

You are probably right and that sucks.

Again!

Haslam is ultimately the problem. Imagine being a GM or head coach going to our situation with an owner that is not named Jimmy Haslam. You boatloads of draft picks (including, probably, the first overall pick), Myles Garrett, a ton of cap space, several promising young players, a team with very low expectations, a chance to implement whatever you want, and have to say no.

So dumb.

I think people are missing a very important point here.

There is a ton of money to be made betting against the Browns the rest of the season!

No, not today. I believe they are back to practice tomorrow and regular scheduled press conferences.

This is why he has to go after Manning. Restore some credibility. He'll likely need to give Manning part of the team. I wonder if he's too greedy to do that.

But it needs to be blown up. Manning needs to be over football ops and hire the people he thinks are best.

Manning makes a little sense because of the prior relationship he has with Haslam, but he's a very smart person. I don't see him jumping into the dumpster fire to save the garbage.

That's why you have to make it worth his while.

Manning loves money.

Agreed. I've always said Manning is a capitalist before anything else.

He's already got a ton of money.

If Manning wanted to coach, I'd be interested, but I would refer someone that already has front office experience in the front office at this point.

Browns’ McCarron excuse doesn’t mesh with NFL procedures

Posted by Mike Florio
on October 31, 2017, 11:22 PM EDT
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Reeling from the most public yet of their many humiliations, the Browns have blamed the failed trade for quarterback A.J. McCarron on the bunglings of the Bengals, telling Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the Bengals failed to send to the league the trade document signed by both teams, after the Browns had sent the signed paperwork to Cincinnati.

There’s one small problem with that excuse. That’s not how trades are communicated to the league. And every key member of every front office knows, or should know, the proper procedure.

Per multiple league sources, a trade becomes official only when both teams independently communicate the trade to the league office. It definitely doesn’t happen as the Browns claim they tried to do it, with chain of communication involving one team sending a form to the other team, which then signs the form and sends it to the league.

And so here are the potential explanations for what’s going on. One, the Browns are lying about what happened to cover up their incompetence. Two, the Browns are telling the truth and are genuinely incompetent. Three, the Browns deliberately sent the paperwork to the Bengals and not to the league office in order to keep the trade from happening, with a premeditated “did I do that?” already in place.

Whatever the explanation, the Browns have yet again provided anyone who is paying attention a tangible example of the kind of dysfunction that, in an age of unprecedented parity, has resulted in the team winning one out of 24 games.

What must the players be thinking about all of this?

What a mess.

Jimmy should sell for a number of reasons.

I don't and cant blame Jimmy Haslem for the money ball try honestly.

We went with an experienced route in Banner/Lombardi - even had an experienced route before haslam with Holmgren, those didn't work.

Then we went with the up and comer route with Ray Farmer. WE all know Farmer was a disaster, but HE WAS A WELL sought candidate and even TURNED down a job offer from Miami to come here. That didn't work out.

So Jimmy tried to go outside of the box. It looks like that didn't turn out. But to say we haven't tried to get experienced guys - is just plain incorrect.

The next people will have a decent enough roster and plenty of assets to fix fhis mess. If they try to sell us on another 5 year plan, I am 100% out

J/C

I didn't want to blow this up, I have defended this FO on drafts and decisions on this board pretty regularly. BUT in no way shape or form, does the embarrassment that happened yesterday evening get excused. Sashi, goodbye! Paul - Goodbye! You are both out of job.

If I was Jimmy, they would have been in my office last night and I would have said/asked "on what green earth type of explanation do you have for EMBARRASSING me, this team, and the city of Cleveland in front of the entire sports world?"

Then I would have said " there are boxes outside in the hallway, don't forget your things as I will not be shipping them to you"

again, every other route has been tried and failed. And you act like sashi has not worked for a NFL franchise EVER. he has.

it has failed and was mistake, I don't disagree or argue that.

If your car is having issues, and you know nothing about cars - what do you do? You ask if anyone knows a decent mechanic and take it there, right? Lets say that mechanic eff up your car. what do you do? You ask SOMEONE else for a mechanic, and take it there, you don't ask the same person that already told you to take it to the bad mechanic. You try something DIFFERENT.

Agree, the next FO needs to be told that we are building on what is here, not blowing up the roster.

I am afraid however we will now lose Greg Williams if Hue goes. I think we need to find a FO that wants to keep Williams - or even give the reigns to Williams.

Why not? Last time I checked, Jimmy Haslam is still the owner. The incompetence starts at the top. ALWAYS. He simply has no idea how to hire personnel. Until he fixes this specific problem, the Browns are going nowhere. Period.

What was the name of the Movie with Bill Murray ; Ground Hog day ! .. After all these years we are right back where we started .. Firing entire staff and starting over ! I am an old man ; I may never live long enough to see a wining season again ..