Cleveland Browns Should Prep for Bidding War If They Want Johnny Manziel
By Zac Wassink | Yahoo Contributor Network – 19 hours ago
COMMENTARY | The Cleveland Browns may have to enter a bidding war if they are to land a franchise quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft.
It's not easy keeping up with all of the 2014 NFL Draft rumors that seemingly pop up every day. What is known as of January 22 is that the Browns have no say in what will happen with picks 1-3. It's also no secret that the Houston Texans are currently shopping the No. 1 overall selection.
One story that made its way to Cleveland sports talk radio last week was that the Texans were interested in trading their second round pick to the New England Patriots for quarterback Ryan Mallett. Mallett, understudy to future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, is believed by many around the league to be ready to lead a NFL offense. It was rumored last October that he was trade bait in a deal that the Patriots hoped would land them Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon, a transaction that never happened.
Mallett would, in Houston, be working with new head coach Bill O'Brien. O'Brien helped mold Matt McGloin into a QB who started in the NFL last fall while the two were together at Penn State.
A trade for Mallett would leave Houston with plenty of options. The Texans could take South Carolina star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, or they could sell the first pick to the highest bidder, move down and still take one of several defensive prospects, potentially UCLA LB Anthony Barr or Buffalo LB Khalil Mack.
The St. Louis Rams could be in the most comfortable spot as it pertains to the draft. St. Louis, sitting on the second overall pick, continue to be linked with offensive linemen Jake Matthews out of Texas A&M and Auburn standout Greg Robinson. Both of those players would still be on the board several spots down in the first round were the Rams to trade for a few additional picks.
And what of the Jacksonville Jaguars? A team thought for sure not that long ago to be thinking quarterback with the third pick could also become sellers over the next month and a half. One rumor swirling about is that the Jags are not in love with any of the three top QB prospects - Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville, UCF's Blake Bortles or Texas A&M starter Johnny Manziel - and that they could instead take the best defensive player on the board; either Clowney or Barr.
Daniel Jeremiah and Matt Smith of NFL.com hinted at the Jaguars doing just that in their latest mock drafts.
It's possible, considering all that is being speculated, that the stars could align for the Browns to take their chosen player, Manziel if the latest reports on the matter are to be believed, without having to trade up. This is Cleveland, though, and neither the franchise nor the city is accustomed to experiencing such good fortune.
I'll explain. Both the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders are behind Cleveland in the draft order, and both could be looking to take QBs in the first round. Houston and St. Louis could afford to move down, stock up on some additional picks and then still grab play-makers in the first round.
That could leave Jacksonville, in need of a quarterback, Cleveland, Minnesota and Oakland slugging it out for two draft picks. Even if you were to take the Jags out of the equation, the Browns could still get leapfrogged by two clubs.
It is believed that both Houston and St. Louis will want multiple first round picks, perhaps three in total, to move down. Cleveland has two first round selections in 2014; one for finishing 4-12, and the other acquired by trading running back Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts last September.
Cleveland lost out on the QB sweepstakes two years ago when the Colts were set on taking Andrew Luck and the Browns were outbid by the Washington Redskins, who took Robert Griffin III. The perception in Cleveland and around the NFL is that the team's front office can't get the head coach of its choice, and some are already expecting the Browns to get the draft wrong come this May.
There will be many within a fan base that is already battered who will be very upset if Cleveland again has to settle in a draft. You can be sure that other teams are aware of the state of the franchise, and that, along with everything else involved, could lead to the Browns having to pony up more than a few first round picks if they are to get their man.
For more: Browns want Manziel, Manziel worth three first round picks, Browns snub Tressel, Trade up for Manziel, Awful 2013 draft class
Zac has been following Cleveland sports since a little before his birth, and thus his heart breaks a little more with every year. He has been covering the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and the NFL for Yahoo Sports.
There's no way I'm getting into a bidding war for any of these qbs. I love Bridgewater but not giving up three firsts to get him. I'm ok sitting at 4 let the top three go however it goes and make a decision based off of that.