The Cleveland Browns signed Josh McCown to a three-year deal this offseason and are expecting Johnny Manziel to be back in April. However, their search for a franchise quarterback continues.
Cleveland has two first round picks (No. 12 and No. 19), which puts them in a good position to make a move in the NFL Draft on Apr. 30. There have been a lot of conflicting reports coming out of the Browns' organization, especially since they let Brian Hoyer go to the Houston Texans and watched Manziel check himself into rehab this offseason.
So what might their plan be?
"I think the Browns are fully prepared to start McCown this year, but they will continue to look for chances to upgrade the position," writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I think they'll try to trade up to draft Marcus Mariota, and I also think they could make another run at Sam Bradford on draft day."
Based on Cabot's take, it looks a lot like what the Browns do is entirely dependent on what the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans decide to do. Philadelphia has been rumored to have interest in Mariota (although head coach Chip Kelly said he will not "mortgage" the team's future on the Oregon prospect) and they currently have Bradford as their starting quarterback. Kelly told reporters earlier in the offseason that he was already offered a first-round pick for Bradford. Could that have been Cleveland?
The Eagles have the No. 20 overall selection, so if they wish to move up for Mariota they would have a tougher time than the Browns. And the only way they would trade Bradford is if they managed to move up and grab Mariota or somehow acquired an established quarterback.
As for the Titans, they recently worked out Mariota and ESPN Insider Todd McShay has them taking him with the No. 2 overall pick in his latest mock draft. If that's the case, the Browns will have absolutely no chance of landing Mariota and it would also affect their chances of trading for Bradford.
Draft day is unpredictable, so everything being said at this point is mere speculation until we witness what transpires on Apr. 30. What we do know is that there's a strong possibility the Browns are looking to upgrade the quarterback position and they have the necessary ammo to do so with two first-round picks and a fairly early second-round pick.
