Didn't know where to put this, so I thought a discussion of potential future moves might be warranted. I will be sick if we don't take a QB #1, hopefully that doesn't happen. I'd also love to grab Allen Robinson.
Cleveland Browns: Trades, free agency, QBsBy Terry Pluto
The Plain Dealer terrypluto2003@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking to a few executives, they doubt the Cleveland Browns will take Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The word "shocked" came up.
The consensus was that John Dorsey was hired to find the long-term answer at quarterback. The previous front office was replaced partly because they failed to do so.
So why would the new general manager have a chance to grab any quarterback in the draft -- that's right, anyone available -- and take a running back instead?
This is not the 2013 draft, where the top quarterbacks were EJ Manuel (No. 16, Buffalo Bills), Geno Smith (No. 39, N.Y. Jets) and Mike Glennon (No. 73, Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
There are real quarterbacks available at the top of the first round. Four are expected to go very high: Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield.
"I also think Mason Rudolph could be a starter on the right team," said one executive. "He could go in the first round."
Rudolph played in a pass-obsessed system at Oklahoma State. He'll have to learn the pro game, much like Jared Goff did. They both came out of the "Air Raid" offenses where a quarterback doesn't huddle up and is seldom under center.
That alone won't scare Dorsey. Last year, he traded up in the 2017 draft to pick Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 for the Kansas City Chiefs. At Texas Tech, Mahomes played in an offense similar to Rudolph's at Oklahoma State.
This is not to say the Browns are drafting Rudolph.
It is to say Dorsey will not write off a quarterback simply because of the offense.
In the top quarterbacks, Allen (Wyoming) and Rosen (UCLA) played in more pro-style offenses where they were under center at least 30 percent of the time.
Darnold (USC) and Mayfield (Oklahoma) were under center in fewer than 5 percent of their plays. Those stats came from Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com).
I don't see the Browns taking Lamar Jackson, but I bet someone does grab the intriguing athletic quarterback from Louisville in the top 32 picks.
That's right, up to six quarterbacks in the first round -- and it's hard to imagine the Browns refusing to take one with the top pick.
Meanwhile, the addition of Tyrod Taylor allows them to not rush the rookie into action.
ABOUT DESHONE KIZER
After the Browns traded for Tyrod Taylor, it made some sense that they'd deal DeShone Kizer. That's another indication they plan to take a quarterback at the top of the draft.
Kizer was shipped to Green Bay for cornerback Damarious Randall.
Here is something interesting from Ryan Wood and Tom Silverstein, who write for packersnews.com:
"The Packers have long studied Kizer... Hours before the NFL draft's second round last spring, a source told PackersNews.com the Packers were tempted to draft Kizer with their 33rd overall pick, which they eventually used on cornerback Kevin King."
I don't know if Kizer will become a viable NFL starter. I do know it would have helped his career to be drafted by Green Bay a year ago, where he could have been in the same quarterback room with Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley.
Then Kizer would not have been forced into action for Game 1 with a terrible team.
But here's an interesting point: Two members of that 2017 Green Bay front office (Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith) are now with the Browns. And they were part of the group that traded Kizer to Green Bay.
They received defensive back Damarious Randall. They were part of the Green Bay front office that took him in the first round in 2015.
The Browns have to decide if they want to pick up Randall's option (about $8 million) for 2019 by May 3.
If not, he could become a free agent after the 2018 season. It is complicated.
The Browns are desperate for defensive backs. Randall had some clashes with coaches and had hand surgery after the season. He is expected to be healthy by training camp.
ABOUT FREE AGENCY
1. The Browns used their surplus salary cap room and their rich chest of draft picks to add three veterans before free agency opened: Landry, Taylor and Randall. The cost: Picks 65 and 123 in 2018 and a seventh-rounder in 2019. The Browns and Packers reportedly will flip some fourth-and-fifth round picks.
2. The Browns also dealt Kizer. That leaves them with Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan and Taylor in the quarterback room right now. Hogan was drafted by Dorsey in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. But Dorsey also cut him, and he was picked up by the Browns.
3. No AJ McCarron for the Browns. Just be glad the Browns didn't deal the second- and third-round picks at midseason to the Cincinnati Bengals for McCarron. After the season, McCarron won his case to be a free agent.
4. Yes, the Browns added Taylor (a far more experienced quarterback) for less (a third-round pick) than it would have cost them to deal for McCarron.
5. Evan Silva tweeted the fourth-round pick sent to Miami as part of the package for Landry can be traced back to punter Andy Lee. The Sashi Brown front office traded Lee to Carolina for that selection.
6. So the Browns still have their two first-round picks and their three second-round picks in the draft. They no longer have a third-round pick.
7. Despite adding Randall, the Browns still need defensive backs. Two free agent names: Trumaine Johnson and Bashaud Breeland. Johnson played for current Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams when both were with the Rams. Breeland was with Washington when Browns consultant Scot McCloughan was their general manager. Malcolm Butler also is a possibility.
8. Landry is mostly an inside slot receiver. The Browns need another big wide receiver. There's always Terrelle Pryor, who is a free agent. The Browns must make sure his surgically repaired ankle is sound. That led to his disappointing 2017 season in Washington -- and eventual surgery.
9. Do the Browns pay huge money for Landry? He is not a big-play receiver. But as I wrote, 220 of his 400 career catches were for first downs. He has played every game in his four-year pro career. They have the money and need his durability.
10. Yes, the Browns have Josh Gordon. But Gordon has not played all 16 games since his rookie year of 2012. He has dealt with some type of suspension in every other season. I want more receivers.
11. Allen Robinson is the hottest name as a free agent receiver. He's coming off ACL knee surgery. The previous two seasons, he caught 153 passes good for 20 TDs. He's only 24. Despite the knee surgery, huge dollars will be coming to the 6-foot-3, 211-pound receiver. I wonder if the Browns will spend big for him. I bet they do more bargain shopping with someone such as Pryor, especially after the trade for Landry.
12. After all the deals, the Browns still should have at least $80 million left in salary cap space.
13. I wonder if seeing the Browns add some talented veterans will convince Joe Thomas to come back and play in 2018. He has been trying to decide if he'll play one more season. Thomas tweeted: "Browns are en fuego! Here's to John Dorsey!!"
14. On one of his podcasts in late February, Thomas said: "Tyrod Taylor is the most underrated guy in free agency ... I like him better than all those second-tier guys."
15. Thomas was talking about free agent quarterbacks after Kirk Cousins -- even though, Taylor was not a free agent. But Taylor is now a Brown, and that should make Joe Thomas very happy.
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