The Browns haven’t promised Robert Griffin III anything in terms of a starting job, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (video link). Although his two-year, $15MM deal certainly suggests that Griffin will be given a chance to win the starting role, Cleveland will continue with its draft preparations as if it hadn’t brought in an external option at quarterback.
[RELATED: Browns execs talk offseason departures and strategy]
As such, Breer reports that there’s a “good chance” that the Browns use the second overall pick on a quarterback, likely Carson Wentz of North Dakota State or Jared Goff of California. Griffin has said that it would not bother him if Cleveland selects a signal-caller at No. 2, and a Browns contingent — Hue Jackson, Pep Hamilton, and vice president of player personnel Andrew Berry — was on hand to watch Wentz’s recent pro day.
The term “analytics” has been tossed around quite a bit since the Browns promoted Sashi Brown and hired Paul DePodesta, but one “Moneyball”-esque approach might be collecting quarterbacks and letting them compete. Instead of drafting Wentz or Goff at No. 2 and pinning the franchise’s hopes on one young player, Cleveland will “take as many shots as they possibly can” at quarterback, per Breer, hoping that its odds of finding a successful QB will improve as more options are added. It’s a method akin to that of Bill Belichick and the Patriots, who constantly trade down in the draft to acquire more capital with the idea that more bites at the apple leads to better odds of a hit.
Griffin, the 2012 offensive rookie of the year, hasn’t been the same since tearing his ACL in the playoffs that season. Although the former Pro Bowl quarterback completed a career-best 68.1% of his passes in 2014, he threw just four touchdown passes compared to six interceptions and fell out of favor with Jay Gruden. Subsequently, RGIII didn’t take a snap in 2015 as Kirk Cousins captured Washington’s starting job and ultimately received the franchise tag.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
They’re not drafting a QB with these projects at the top of this draft. They’ll take BPA, which will be either an offensive lineman, Jalen Ramsey, or a pass rusher. I’d steer clear of Bosa though. I think he’s going to be a bust.
I agree with you on Bosa, but I don’t think the reports regarding Cleveland’s desire to take a QB with the No. 2 overall pick are being overblown. Adding RGIII made sense, as they had money to burn and one could argue that he still has some upside, but they need to hit on a QB if they’re ever going to right the ship, and I can’t imagine Hue Jackson going into his first year with RGIII/McCown and a mid-round signal-caller. He’s going to want a quarterback with elite potential, and as good as Ramsey or Jack might be, they aren’t going to turn the franchise around, just like Joe Thomas and Joe Haden haven’t been able to turn it around.
Here it goes, when OTAs start his new t-shirt reads, wait and see what this brown will do for you.” I think this guy thinks he is going to a place where there is no way he doesn’t start. I also believe he will never be great until he is pushed harder then ever. I hope HJ who is dam tough on qbs rides this guy hard and maybe he will get something out of him. He has always had no one gunning for job until last year and that ended real quick. First time coach puts his neck out on the line and went with the long shot over the guy who was traded for a slew of cattle and the coach not only made the right call he made the playoffs. Has Bob ever had competition behind him, even at Baylor, even though I wouldn’t count that as an offense considering they only run about 7 plays with about 10 formations. Still surprised he won the heisman. But so did Andre Ware, with the same offense. My cousin played on that Baylor team from 2010-2013as a backup tackle and said ther offense was tapered down for qbs. That’s probably why Petty for the jets was regarded as a two or three year NFL project before ever starting and that this year when all the qbs went down (all3) anyone who came in could pick it up very easy. Just shocked other teams didn’t figure out their offense. I watched 2 games tapes and he is right there offense is very simpleton but effective. Maybe this is why none of the players coming out of Baylor in the last 5-6 years excel at the next level. Red flag- I would watch out for Corey Coleman to draft this year. They said the same about Kendall Wright, Terrence Williams, and were high draft picks and haven’t done really anything except for ho routes or deep posts and 9s. The point is Josh Gordon probably the best WR to come out of Baylor can’t stay clean and how’s more talent then Dez, or AJ or even Demarius Thomas. This team has pieces and if anyone can get RG3 or Bob to work hard and grow its Hue so maybe they don’t draft a QB and take Ramsey and get Gordon back maybe there could be some hope for this team winning 6 or 7 games. Bmore is old and will be bad and the nati lost a good amount of players and needs to replace a lot and Pittsburgh is beatable when they play lesser teams so maybe Bob can realize he has a guy that wants him and a team that has no were to go buy up and with hard work he could be a decent QB. Just stop saying you are the best QB in the league and just be a QB that can win games and then you can start getting respected as a solid QB. Then you can work on improving as a top NFL talent. Good luck Bob. Prove us all wrong, please. Your football cards are pennies on the dollar compared to 4 years ago and that hurts. We need you back.
Why waste a pick at top on QB when u r not ready to win any time soon. See if RGB can recapture magic and if not do something about it next year while helping the team for the future with a great position player
Hue Jackson was halfway to a playoff berth with Jason Campbell as his QB with that abomination roster he had in Oakland. I don’t know if he thinks Griffin is the answer, but I do think he sees him as likely to succeed as these projects in this draft. I still expect them to take one like if a Connor Cook or something falls to round 3 or 4, but not at 2 imo. Way too many holes to fix on that team to be swinging on a project, which all of them are. People amking the Flacco comparisons skip that he walked onto a team that Kyle Bollers and JR Redmonds of the world were holding back. Btw, another guy Jackson had looking like a new QB when he coached him in Atlanta, Redmond. In other words, he can coach and I think as long as Griffin stays healthy, this will be a good fit for him.