The Cleveland Browns are looking for their next franchise quarterback prior to the start of the 2016 season, as they have officially moved on from troubled quarterback Johnny Manziel this offseason. The Browns finished the 2015 season tied for the worst record in the NFL at 3-13, and many are expecting Cleveland to find its next quarterback with the second pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Browns are leaving no stone unturned, and with new head coach Hue Jackson's strong history of developing quarterbacks, Cleveland's front office is likely keeping all options on the table. Reports surfaced earlier this March that the Browns, Broncos and Jets were interested in a potential trade for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, but nothing has seemed to materialize since the report and San Francisco is reportedly not opposed to keeping him for the 2016 season.
While Kaepernick may be unlikely to land in Cleveland, the Browns have spent the past two days meeting with another quarterback, Robert Griffin III. The former NFL Rookie of the Year met with the Browns on Friday and Saturday and spoke with Jackson as well as other members of the Browns organization.
Griffin had already visited with the Jets the previous weekend, and New York reportedly has a "legitimate interest" in him. The free agent quarterback took the league by storm in his rookie season, leading the Redskins to a NFC East division title, but injuries and poor play landed him on the bench in Washington.
No deal between the Browns and Griffin is reportedly imminent at this time, but Cleveland's front office is clearly keeping their options open prior to the draft. The Browns are expected to take either California's Jared Goff or North Dakota State's Carson Wentz with the second pick in the draft, and both are receiving some high praise in the lead-up to the 2016 NFL Draft.
"The statement I'm going to make to you guys, and you can tell me whether you agree or not, is I'm at the point now with both Wentz and Goff where I think they're every bit as good, if not better, than Winston and Mariota from a year ago as prospects," said NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock. It's a big statement about both quarterbacks as, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were the first two picks in last year's draft and both performed well in their rookie seasons.
It's unknown how legitimate the Browns' interest is in Griffin at this time, but Jackson reportedly wants a quarterback that will be a "round-the-clock presence" for the Browns organization, as he is looking for someone that will put the team and organization first.
