A report Tuesday night indicated the Browns were in the mix for Alex Smith, but it was unclear how willing John Dorsey was to reunite with his former quarterback.
However, the Browns appeared rather serious in their pursuit, with ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon reporting the team offered the Chiefs a second-round pick for Smith.
The Browns, who own three second-round selections, weren’t willing to give Smith the kind of contract the Redskins were. McManamon notes Cleveland wouldn’t match Washington’s extension for Smith.
It’s unclear which of the Browns’ second-round choices was offered. Cleveland owns picks 33, 35 and 63. The Redskins acquired Smith for a mid-third-round selection and emerging cornerback Kendall Fuller. The defender being under contract for two more seasons may have been a key bargaining chip against Cleveland, which has not been said to have offered a player as well as the Round 2 pick.
The Browns were not the only non-Redskins team in the mix for Smith, whom Adam Schefter of ESPN reported was pursued by as many as six franchises. The Cardinals and Broncos were also in on the veteran quarterback.
This marks the second time in less than six months the Browns were willing to fork over a second-round pick for a quarterback they didn’t end up getting.
Cleveland offered Cincinnati second- and third-round choices for A.J. McCarron and nearly acquired the Bengals backup, with the deal infamously falling apart at the 11th hour. The Browns were also reportedly willing to surrender a first-round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo. Although expected to draft a quarterback at No. 1 overall, Cleveland remains without a proven passer despite extensive efforts to land a veteran.
Fuller is actually a pretty good DB and there’s a strong possibility that KC didn’t want to send him to another AFC team.
I don’t think KC is too worried about the Browns. But there’s no question that Fuller is really good. The KC defense was terrible this year. Adding Fuller to a defensive backfield with Peters and a returning Berry could return that defense to prominence quickly. This was a fantastic deal for KC
I think they wanted him out of the AFC, plus like the guy above me said…Fuller is a pretty good CB and that’s one area the Chiefs struggled. I do feel for the Browns, they offered a better kick for Jimmy G and didn’t get him, offered a better pick for Smith and didn’t get him and they had a deal in place for McCarron and that GM didn’t get the paperwork in on time. Sucks for them and their fans. I’d be willing to put money on it that Smith also told them he wanted to go someone he could possibly win and didn’t want to go to the Browns.
If McCarron is freed, then I can see the Browns going after him.
I agree. I think the Browns will go after veteran and still draft a qb. I have a feeling they want to sign a qb so they can draft Barkley at number 1 and take a rookie qb with the 4th pick and let him sit for a few years behind whoever they sign.
McCarron will be free. Just a matter if he’s restricted or unrestricted. I think Browns go after him regardless. No way Cincy franchises him and there’s just as little chance they’d match an offer sheet if he’s given the transition tag. McCarron’s floor is the Glennon deal, imo.
I just realized that the Browns were named after Charlie Brown, who Lucy always pulls the ball away from.
Clowns could have offered a 1st and somehow they still wouldn’t have gotten him.
They could have offered the #1 and 4 picks and still found a way not to get Smith
Did you stay awake all night thinking up that one?
They 100% did
Top 5 cringiest comments I’ve seen in awhile
Weather it’s Jimmy G or Alex Smith neither of these organizations wanted to banish one of their own to Cleveland
Unfortunately The Brownies are like the girl that had crabs – no one wants to go near them. It’s gonna be a hard sell getting FA’s to go to Cleveland without severely overpaying until this organization improves
Sure are making a big deal of not over paying for Alex Smith. A 2nd rounder for a 33 year old QB that the franchise needed to get rid of for cap purposes? 2nd round offer was fine. Browns didn’t want to overpay, oh well… and the McCarron “failed” trade, that was Hue stopping his feet, throwing another temper tantrum bc the Pats wouldn’t trade Garapollo to the Browns. Whoever “forgot” to send the paperwork in to the league office deserves a raise.
Word on the street has it that the Browns leaked their offer for Smith to the press but forgot to personally tell the Chiefs.
So a team that is depleted on resources on both sides of the field wants to give 2nd and 1st picks to fix 1 or two holes and then doing nothing for several other seasons? In a way, they teams that are denying them are doing them a favor. Save your picks for actual cheap talent. They Alex Smith, then what? You still have to address getting more than just josh Gordon. I’m not ready to call Corey Coleman a great receiver. Running back is a mess too. Too many question marks to give up that talent, but they whiffed on QB yet again and are trying for smith to cover it up?
He’s was nothing but a stop gap for browns. Can’t win a big game. Wash just got worse