The team would also better set up its young QB for success with having the talent around them when they come in immediately. Say they go the draft route. They may still have three second round picks and almost 100 million in cap space to boot from avoiding the big money free agent QB deal.
Potential WR free agents in 2018 include Alshon Jeffery, Terrelle Pryor, Julian Edelman, Dontrelle Inman, Taylor Gabriel, DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Matthews, Davante Adams, Donte Moncrief, and John Brown to name a few.
So once again I’ll make my point that I personally wouldn’t draft a QB this year. There is no point in committing to a young QB for the next couple of years because you had to draft a QB on a rebuilding team because you needed a QB in a bad year for one. It does not matter if it is this year or next year, this team will still be in rebuild mode.
Sacrifice the position, see what your former third round pick can do before you waste that pick away and take advantage of the strengths of this year’s draft. Grab a dominant pass rusher like Myles Garrett at one and a safe option in OJ Howard at 12. Then get a secondary player at 33, a WR with your other second round pick and add another secondary player or run stopper in the third.
Build the defense up in a strong draft on that side of the ball but add some more options at playmakers on offense that Cleveland becomes an enticing spot for 2018 with what is already on the roster and the potential to get even better with a lot of free agency money and four picks in the first two rounds. Those are the selling points and it will cost you much less next year as compared to rushing it and going in now by selling your assets to guarantee getting one of those players.
Patience is a virtue. Browns fans have had to be patient for so long with the numerous rebuilds from this franchise that you might as well be patient enough to get this one right in hopes of it being the last. Maximizing what they can, holding off on the QB position for one more season could end up being the best decision in the long term plan for this franchise and its fans.
Percy E.
April 6, 2017 at 2:01 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this. I am praying that this is the front office thinking. There’s no QB that I’m certain in this year draft and I understand that there’s no QB pick that you are ever certain. Looking at the people that get paid to do this for a living, they aren’t sold and are all over the place. It seems to me that this year’s crop has more questions than most. My argument is moot if they really like one of these guys, then by all means draft him, but don’t draft a QB just to draft one because every one is saying you should. I have 2 points to add to the article and they both would be considered “break glass” options for most fans. 1) AJ McCarron would be restricted next year and I’m sure Cincinnati will place a 1st round tender on him. If you can’t trade up to be in position for one of the top QBs in next year’s draft, then sign McCarron and use your 1st on McCarron IF coach truly likes him. 2) This is where people will think I’m crazy. Develop Brock! There are several reasons to develop him as well as humanly possible. I’m not saying he is the answer. What I saw in Houston would say no, but can we trust Bill O’Brien ability to develop QBs. He has started 9 QBs in 3 years! Are we sure it’s Brock and not him? If we had signed Brock last year to this contract, I feel most fans (and some Browns coaches) would have been celebrating in the streets. At least he had more starts and film tape than Jimmy (don’t get me started on him) Garoppolo at that point. Here’s the positives for Brock 1) Insurance. We were told to “trust” on Kessler. I didn’t like the pick but the kid played solid. Give him a chance but keep a vet for insurance. If you cut Brock, you have to sign one. Keep the one we have to pay for anyway 2) Trade. Either the closer we get to the season, or maybe next year, you might get something from him if you can develop him by having him show some positive tape in the preseason or season. If he’s awful, cut him at the end of preseason or after the season. You are in no worse shape than you were before. 3) He could be the guy. *whisper voice*. Probably only a 5% chance, but just maybe…
Bob Stalnaker
April 6, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Very well thought out.
Two things: a) give Kessler a bit more credit. What he did last year, being #5 in adj. completion % with a terrrible defense, a bad O-line and Cam Erving at center is phenomenal. Kessler’s NFL Passer Rating exceeded a LONG list of top notch QBs last year, again, how he did that with such roadblocks in front of him like the poor defense and O-line is incredible.
b) as to “numerous rebuilds from this franchise” … this reboot by the Sashi, Paul and Andrew regime is the first true reboot. Those other so-called “rebuilds” were lame, shoddy attempts or worse, such as Inane Ray Farmer’s disaster he laid upon the Browns.
Although Higgins, Louis and Payton were not give any reasonable chance or co chance at all in 2016 as Hue Jackson blew it big by giving Andrew Hawkins snaps I like your idea of adding a WR for reasons you stated. O.J. Howard at 12 would be huge for the offense also, but CLE needs to focus the rest of the draft on S, CB, and perhaps a LB. End of the Tank Carder era.
Dan Y
April 13, 2017 at 3:37 pm
I think the Browns have a real sleeper in Kevin Hogan, the former Stanford QB. No one talks about him…give him a chance. Why not? And he didn’t play all that bad when pressed into action on short notice with very little preparation last year.