The Cleveland Browns have some quarterback question marks to say the least. Johnny Manziel is still in rehab, though he is expected to return to the team soon. Josh McCown couldn't last the whole season for a team that is picking first overall in next month's draft. For a team that is hoping to take a step forward next year, it doesn't appear as if they've made much progress at the game's most important position. That's why it came as no surprise when it was confirmed that the Browns had offered the St. Louis Rams a first-round pick for quarterback Sam Bradford.
If the Browns were willing to do that for Bradford, what would they be willing to do for a more accomplished quarterback? Philip Rivers is entering the final year of his contract with the San Diego Chargers and appears dead set on reaching free agency next season.
"The San Diego Chargers have definitely wanted to extend Philip Rivers and make sure that retires as a member of the San Diego Chargers and they approached Rivers' agent, Jimmy Sexton, recently to try and do an extension," Ian Rapoport of NFL network said. "Rivers said he does not feel comfortable doing it right now. He wanted to play out his contract so that is exactly what he is going to do. Now, the Chargers do hold the trump card in this, they can franchise him at the end of the season which is a possibility. But the fact that they have not done a long-term extension and won't be doing a long-term extension does raise some possibilities, including ...a potential trade, maybe with the Tennessee Titans. I've talked to several sources about this with the Chargers, they have said 'We do not want to trade Philip Rivers, we want him to retire a member of the Chargers.' What I have not heard is, 'We will not be trading him.' Now, that being said, the Chargers know the importance of a good quarterback, a great quarterback, you cannot win without him, so what would it take to trade Philip Rivers? A lot. Multiple first-round picks."
It just so happens that the Browns have two first-round picks this year, the No. 12 and No. 19 selections. What's more, Rivers is a far more talented and healthy quarterback than Bradford. Rivers has played in all 16 games in each of the last nine seasons and has been named to the Pro Bowl five times. Of course, there have been no reports linking Rivers to the Browns. But such a move makes sense if you connect the dots.
