Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston may be getting all of the attention this draft season, but the Browns may have some lingering feelings for UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley.
The team selected Johnny Manziel in the first round last season, but after proving ineffective on the field and immature off of it, the team will approach the offseason as if they still need to acquire a starting quarterback.
The Browns will probably not have a chance at selecting either of the top two quarterbacks, but Hundley could be available for them in the middle of the first round or even possibly the beginning of round two. The Browns would have considered Hundley in the top 10 picks last year had he declared for the NFL draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report added to Schefter’s report by writing that the Browns’ staff had been actively petitioning Hundley to declare early last year (via Twitter). He does clarify that the staff has undergone significant changes since then, including offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan moving to a Falcons’ team not in the market for a quarterback, although QB coach Dowell Loggains is now with the Bears, who could consider a quarterback in this drat (via Twitter). Miller also notes that former general manager Joe Banner favored Teddy Bridgewater more than any quarterback in the draft (via Twitter).
Here are a few other notes from around Browns’ camp:
- The Browns will have a number of wide receiver options in free agency, but Cecil Shorts could be one of their top targets, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Fowler also adds that the team could use Shorts as a complementary piece, while they could look for a true number one wideout in the first round of the draft.
- The Browns have not had a chance to negotiate a deal to bring Brian Hoyer back in 2015, writes Fowler. The Browns have expressed interest in making a deal, but Hoyer has been distant while waiting for the fallout of texting scandal between Ray Farmer and an assistant coach becomes more clear.