Josh McCown's tenure as the starter - or at least as the presumed starter - for the Cleveland Browns may turn out to be pretty short-lived.
According to a report from Mark Eckel of NJ.com, the Browns remain interested in trading for quarterback Sam Bradford, currently of the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Despite reports that Bradford, in the final year of his contract, would not sign an extension with Cleveland, the Browns are said to still have interest," writes Eckel.
Rams head coach Jeff Fisher revealed in the wake of St. Louis' decision to deal Bradford to the Eagles and Chip Kelly that a team had offered him a first-round pick for the oft-injured signal-caller, but that he'd done the deal with Philly because he was enamored with former Eagles QB Nick Foles.
It was then reported that the team in question, which had offered the first-round pick to the Rams, was none other than the Browns.
The Eagles and Browns were then reported to have discussed their own trade for Bradford - a trade which may or may not have involved man-child and last year's first-round pick, quarterback Johnny Manziel - but that a deal ultimately fell through because the Browns wanted to discuss a contract extension with Bradford and he and his agent were unwilling.
Despite that report, per Eckel, the Browns, Eagles and Tennessee Titans are currently engaged in a strange game of 2015 NFL Draft trade-musical chairs, wherein former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is the ultimate prize for at least the Eagles and maybe another team and Bradford could wind up going to the Browns, who remain interested in acquiring the services of the former first-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
According to Eckel's report, the Eagles would send Bradford to the Browns for the No. 19 pick, then use that pick along with their own first-round pick, No. 20, and a package of players to the Tennessee Titans for the No. 2-overall selection in the first-round of the 2015 NFL Draft and, presumably, Mariota.
The Browns though, sporting the No. 12 and No. 19 picks, seem in a good position to make a move up for Mariota on their own. Unless GM Ray Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine - and yeah, owner Jimmy Haslam - are absolutely certain that Bradford can by "the guy," it almost makes more sense to go up and get Mariota instead - unless, of course, the Browns don't believe Mariota is as high-quality a prospect as some are making him out to be.
A report from Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report alleges that that may, in fact, be exactly how Farmer and the Browns brass feel - especially in light of the failure that came from spending two high picks on players who provided almost no impact whatsoever just last season.
"The belief is that there was no way the Browns would make such a risky move-not after a season in which one of their first-round picks from last year, Justin Gilbert, was average at best, and the other, Johnny Manziel, was an uber-disaster. Said one of the personnel men: 'The Browns aren't that dumb to do something like that,'" writes Freeman.
With new Browns quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell's intimate knowledge of Mariota - he worked closely with the former Duck during his draft preparation - the draft will prove a clear indication of Cleveland's true feelings on both Bradford's future and Mariota's chances of becoming a franchise signal-caller.
