Before the Chiefs sent Alex Smith to the Redskins, the Browns made a play for the veteran quarterback, according to Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. As many as six teams may have expressed interest in Smith, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Broncos had some level of interest in Smith, but it’s not clear if Denver actually discussed an acquisition with Kansas City, per Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link).
Washington ultimately acquired Smith in exchange for a 2018 third-round pick and an unidentified player, so Cleveland presumably was unwilling to meet that asking price. The Browns not only own higher draft choices than do the Redskins, but also possess more total selections, meaning general manager John Dorsey & Co. had the ammunition to make a deal. Dorsey, notably, previously acquired Smith from the 49ers as Kansas City’s general manager in 2013.
Cleveland is fully expected to pursue quarterback upgrades this offseason, and may be open to adding a veteran signal-caller via trade or free agency and using an early-round pick on a passer. Smith would have given the Browns a competent starter under center, allowing the club to either bring in a first-round rookie — such as USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, or Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield — or give 2017 second-rounder DeShone Kizer more time to develop.
But now that Smith is on board in the nation’s capital, the Redskins won’t be signing fellow quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will now hit the open market. The Browns expressed interest in trading for Cousins during the 2017 draft, and while Cleveland now has a new front office in place, it’s fair to assume the club will have pursue Cousins now that he’s a free agent. The Browns are second in the NFL with nearly $110MM in available cap space, meaning they’ll have the flexibility to offer him a hefty contract.
I think Cousins in Cleveland throwing bombs to Josh Gordon with Saquan Barkeley in the backfield sounds like a good way to getting the Browns back to respectability. That division is wide open after Pittsburgh
The Browns need a Veteran QB. I don’t think they should shoot their wad going after Cousins. I would draft Allen, and maybe Fitzpatrick at 4. The draft is deep at RB. They need to upgrade the team in Free Agency. Especially the O-Line. They need two tackles and a Center. Especially if Joe Thomas Retires. They need to upgrade the defensive backfield and they need some legitimate receivers. And a Bell Cow Running back. There are backs in the draft like Penny from S.D. State. The Best move would be to keep Crowell, get another RB, then move Duke Johnson to Slot Receiver. Trade Corey Coleman and get an actual Receiver. Sashi was cheap when it came to skill position guys and good linemen, so was Ray Farmer.
I agree with almost nothing presented here.
Dude, time for your meds.
I have been saying exactly that from day one. Enough with the Rookies and Never Were QBs. Get a proven guy and draft the best RB at 1 and add depth and weapons with your 50 other picks
Browns claim to have wanted Wentz Watson and Trubisky now smith?
Its a good thing they did not draft Trubisky. He is not clutch with the game on the line. They should have taken Watson but they had an Idiot GM who is a Lawyer by trade and a Baseball Analytics guy running things before that they also had an idiot GM who played LB in the league who used to work for the Chiefs in Ray Farmer. I bet money had the Browns had Dorsey as GM last year they would not have made the mistake of not drafting Watson the guy only traded for Alex Smith, drafted Kareem Hunt, and others that helped the Chiefs become a contender.
How can you say Trubisky is not clutch with the game on the line. How many times was the game on the line last year and did you notice who the wide receivers were?
They’re like the Atlanta Braves of the NFL. They’re “in” on everybody but don’t actually get anyone.
Garoppolo too
And McCarron LOL
Mary Kay, Mary Kay, Mary Kay, if only you knew……..anything.
Question is, why didn’t Denver give up enough? 3rd and a 5th? Elway really has lost it. He better get Cousins or a rookie who can win right away. If not he’s going to be on a hot seat. He’s probably got one more year like this past one before he’s on his last lifeline.
No kidding, Alex Smith could probably throw it at least 30-35 yards down the field in that altitude! They should’ve given up a 1st!
Cuz it’s the same division !
A 3rd and 5th wasn’t matching what they got, even before considering they’re division rivals.
Amazing how the Broncos, Browns, Cardinals, and even the Jaguars did not look into this more. 3rd round pick is nothing for a respectable QB.
Its apparently a 3rd Rd Pick and a Very Good Corner.
I keep seeing he was rated very highly too. I wonder why he only has 12 starts in 2 years though…
He wasn’t a high draft pick.
Also because he played slot
I would not be surprised if the Browns offered more to the Chiefs but the Chiefs were unwilling to do business with Dorsey because they fired him after he basically built their entire roster or whoever the New GM is a Complete Idiot.
There’s no top-5 or even top-15 OL in this draft. Give Cousins all your money. Draft Barkley and Ridley. Draft OL in round 2 and beyond.
I don’t believe that cousins will go to Cleveland even for all the money in the world he wants to win and I’m not saying he doesn’t wanna get paid big time but who wants to play in Cleveland. With their first 2 picks take darnold and Barkley. In the second pick a WR maybe Kirk or Sutton and a DB. Or with their second and a fourth trade back into the end of the first to snag Connor Williams( the draft people are projecting him to fall late) he can play RT until joe is done and he can be mentored by joe.
Nobody wants to trade with the Browns?