The Cleveland Browns have officially signed former Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III to a two-year deal, but many still expect them to acquire a quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft.
California quarterback Jared Goff and North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz are projected as the top two quarterbacks in this year's draft class, and many have differing opinions as to who should be the top quarterback taken next month. Wentz impressed teams with his pro day workout on Thursday, but so did Goff at the Golden Bears' pro day the previous week.
While it's unclear who the Browns believe is the best quarterback prospect in this year's draft, a report has surfaced that the Browns currently view Wentz as the top quarterback. The FCS quarterback proved himself a winner at North Dakota State, leading the Bison to their fifth consecutive league title.
Wentz missed eight games for the Bison after breaking his wrist in a loss to South Dakota this past season but has only boosted his draft stock since the end of the 2015 season. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound athletic quarterback likely will need time to develop in the league but has tremendous upside, as he checks all the boxes NFL franchises look for in quarterbacks.
While the Browns likely believe they can develop Griffin into a starting quarterback in Cleveland, his signing is also reportedly viewed as draft insurance. The Browns currently sit behind the Tennessee Titans with the second pick in the draft, and should Tennessee trade back, Griffin's signing allows the Browns' front office options.
Should a team trade up for Wentz with the first pick, the Browns could look to target one of the best players available on the board with prospects like defensive end Joey Bosa or defensive back Jalen Ramsey. A trade would not necessarily rule out Goff to the Browns with the second pick, but the addition of Griffin to their roster allows Cleveland the freedom when selecting in the first round prospect. Browns' head coach Hue Jackson has a strong history of developing quarterbacks in the league, and with Griffin now on the roster, the Browns have at least one quarterback they can look to develop.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out with a little more than a month until the draft, but if Wentz is on the board at two, it sounds like Griffin and the Bison quarterback will be battling out for the starting position.
