The draft approaches.
And perhaps all the Brady Quinn smoke was generated by someone sending false signals. Today the Denver Post reported that the Broncos want to acquire another quarterback, specifically to trade up and obtain USC QB Mark Sanchez. The Post also reported: "The Broncos … made preliminary inquiries about Brady Quinn but were told the Cleveland Browns' third-year quarterback was not available for trade."
That's pretty straightforward and definitive. Not available.
This is good news, if true. I see no reason to trade Quinn, and quite frankly I see no reason to trade Derek Anderson. The Browns have two quarterbacks. Some teams have none. Keep them both.
One thing that GM George Kokinis has stated pretty consistently is that the team planned to keep both QBs and have them compete in training camp. That's fine. They're grownups. Let the best QB win. But, there was much talk that the Browns were involved in the Jay Cutler pursuit. Kokinis dismissed that talk by saying it was discussed and "nothing moved forward."
This is where I believe a more direct answer might have helped. Kokinis gave one at the NFL Meetings when he said he'd do anything to improve the team, but he had not shopped Quinn. That's a direct answer. The kind of answer he gave at his pre-draft news conference was less direct, and as a result fueled more talk. A simple: "We are not looking to trade Brady Quinn, but we always look to improve our team" might have squashed the chatter.
That being said, other rumors about Quinn continue to fly, and probably will until the draft is over. It's that time of year, and any team that needs a quarterback would logically look to Cleveland to see if the Browns are going to trade one.
But this statement from the Post is pretty definitive: Quinn is not available for trade.
However … if the Broncos want to trade up, let's hope the Browns get them on the phone. Acquiring two picks for one would enable the Browns to draft Rey Maualuga and another strong defensive player or receiver. Keeping Quinn and Braylon Edwards and trading down for extra picks might be the kind of splash that would (finally) generate some excitement for this team.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
If we can fleece the Broncos for their 1st rounders and still draft Maualuga, then I'll consider our draft a success based on just that move down.
Sorry for the long article, I am not trying to duplicate Alan…this is a piece by Steve Czaben that I utterly agree with…
My Draft Board Only Goes Up To Three
As a professional sports radio host, I assume that it is my duty and responsibility to hype up the NFL draft. At this point, with just 2 days to go, I should be chock full of all kinds of proclamations, opinions, and thoughts on who is going to be any good, and what teams would be NUTS not to select whom.
Sadly, I have fallen short.
I cannot muster the typical sports radio bluster, because to do so would be enormously hypocritical at best, douchbaggy at worst.
When professional talent scouts, and even more highly paid television "draft experts" do such a poor job of figuring this stuff out, then why would my particular guess on a player amount to anything more than the secretary filling out an NCAA pool sheet. (She beat me this year….. Again.)
So let's start with the disclaimers.
1. Nobody is going to know anything about anybody for at least 3 years. You simply can't declare a guy a total "bust" until he's had that window to get his shit right.
2. Nobody really knows what various NFL teams are "planning" to do. Especially because they themselves are flexible up until their name comes up on the podium this weekend. And they are all liars. In fact, I want my team lying. All the time. To me, to other GM's, to Mel Kiper, and especially to Peter King, since he is the easiest sucker to fool.
3. Unless you are a professional football scout, you have no way to really rate a lineman on offense, or most secondary players on defense. You just don't. Half the time, you can't even see the corners and safeties on a TV until the play is half over.
Now, as couch potato fans, we CAN (or more accurately, we THINK we can) evaluate things like QB, RB, WR and LB.
As far as I'm concerned, I only have 3 real "girlfriends" that I lust over in this draft. They are below, with convenient YouTube tributes, in case you needed them.
Now, maybe all 3 guys will suck. Maybe I'm a gullible, 1-dimensional fool. But as far as my "eye test" goes, these studs can play for me anytime.
PS: You can have both big name QB's. Don't really blow my skirt up. Either guy.
Didn't Mangini sell himself to Lerner with this (among other) promises: "I can win with Brady Quinn." ?
I am so sick of Cleveland "fans" (in reality, anything BUT) ready to jettison a premier QB before he's had the chance to start five games! WHY does the grass ALWAYS look greener to these (non)-fans who want the latest, shiniest, reddest, toothiest, freaking raw rookie in the draft? Our guy has SIX years of experience under his belt. Sanchez, the unproven Leinart wannabe/neverwas, played one season of college ball. What's the infatuation? Has the smoke from Republic Steel dulled your brains, Cleveland?
I watched some USC games last year. Sanchez looks like the real deal. I don't know if any QB is worthy of being taken in the first half of the 1st round anymore, but I do think Sanchez is going to be pretty good QB for whomever gets him.
First Pat, if you'd gotten direct answers way back when, what would you have to write about all these past weeks. Second, the Browns should absolutely not select Maluaga. By all accounts I've read and listened to, this guy is a "run to the line" LB. He is a two down LB. Is that what we want from a 1st round pick? No.
Jason: your statement is full of holes. While calling Quinn a "premier" QB you admit he's only played a couple games and hasn't had a chance to prove himself. So, how has he become a "premier" QB? Please remember, he has had coaches watching him every single day in practice and they apparently are not sold on him after two years. I agree he has not had game experience to prove himself but that is not the only place a guy has to produce. Secondly, stating that FANS who do not agree with you, are thus not "real" fans is beyond rude.