'Cleveland Browns have talked to QB David Carr about a backup role if they draft his brother Derek Carr'
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/05/cleveland_browns_have_talked_t.htmlBy Mary Kay Cabot, Northeast Ohio Media Group on May 01, 2014 at 8:23 PM, updated May 02, 2014 at 1:38 AM
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- By the end of the draft next week, the Browns could have two Carrs parked in their quarterback room.
David Carr, the former No. 1 overall pick of the Texans and big brother of Browns' prospect Derek Carr, told cleveland.com Thursday that the Browns are one of about six teams that have talked to him about signing as a backup if they draft his little brother.
"Yeah, they've definitely been one of those teams that have expressed interest,'' said Carr, 34. "There are probably about six or seven teams that have been real interested in that scenario, so we'll see what happens. It's going to be exciting.''
In Cleveland, David would especially come in handy because he knows offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's offense inside and out. Shanahan was wide receivers coach for the Texans under Gary Kubiak in 2006, Carr's final season there.
"For brotherly, selfish reasons, that would be great,'' said David. "But at the same time, I don't trust any other quarterback in the room with Derek (laughs). I know quarterbacks and I know veteran guys come in a lot of times and they don't want the young guy to play. They're going to be a teammate, but are they going to go to that next level to make sure this kid really succeeds? I can guarantee you that's the case with us. He would be just as happy if I was on the field as if he were out there.
"That's the goal -- to get him to play at a high level and to go out and use the experience that I've kind of gained over the last decade or so and try and help him out.''
David, who starred at Fresno State 11 years before his brother did, acknowledged it would "almost'' be too good to be true for the two to play on the same team "but it would be smart. I'm not a general manager, but the teams that have expressed interest in it, they think they're on to something and I think they're right.''
David, who sat out of football last season after being released by the Giants in August, would be content helping Derek and the other quarterbacks improve. After going 23-56 in his 11 seasons -- including 22-53 with the expansion Texans -- he knows his primary role is as a mentor. In addition to the six teams interested in him in a package deal with Derek, three teams have discussed signing him even without the sidekick.
"If I came back to the NFL to play, it wouldn't be for myself, it wouldn't be a selfish reason,'' he said. "It would be to really help the team. I've stood there before and held the clipboard, but I didn't really feel like I was really helping. I want to go in and really make an impact, whether I'm on the field or off the field. I want to do as much in the meeting room, in the locker room as I can to help a young guy, or to help an experienced guy.
And if it happens in Cleveland, where he already likes and trusts the staff, all the better. Carr is one of several quarterbacks the Browns are seriously considering in this draft.
"With good communication in the quarterback room, you can get to a point, especially in Kyle's offense where it can look very smooth and you can line up some numbers,'' David said. "Hopefully we'll get a chance somewhere -- but the Browns are definitely on the radar for sure.''
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I'm sure he's been practicing a lot, just in case.
