It was a very difficult day for the irrational Browns’ fan on Tuesday when Aaron Rodgers agreed to stay in Green Bay, and Russell Wilson was traded by Seattle to Denver for a king’s ransom.
Didn’t those guys feel obligated to play in Cleveland?
After seeing the reaction of these zealots, one would think the Browns’ front office should contact Roger Goodell’s office and asked to be removed from the 2022 NFL schedule because they have no chance.
The reality of the situation is Paul DePodesta, Andrew Berry, and Kevin Stefanski don’t think that way. It’s why they have jobs in an NFL organization and the rest of us are fans.
We commented on social media about the price the Broncos paid for Wilson, who will be 33 next season. The Browns first and second round draft picks in 2020 and 2021 were starting tackle Jedrick Wills, safety Grant Delpit, starting corner Greg Newsome and starting linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
Would you trade all four for Wilson? And remember, Denver threw in more than that.
We understand quarterback play is important in the NFL, and the performance of Baker Mayfield last season simply doesn’t get it done. However, if your front office is good at drafting players, and Berry seems to be, is giving up four prime draft picks a good idea?
If your team is bad at picking players, then go ahead and trade the picks. That’s understandable. The draft is a good way to pick up good players cheaply. And if you continue to draft well, your forays in the free agent market, where you overpay for players, can and will be minimal.
And from what we can see, Berry and DePodesta value the draft.
We also know that the two best QBs in the league right now, Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes have combined for two Super Bowl victories. Wilson has a ring as well, that coming in 2013, eight years ago.
Reality tells us more teams have questions at the position than do not, and the people who run those organizations can’t just throw in the towel, they try to win with what they have.
Come on, how many truly great quarterbacks are there in the NFL right now? Rodgers, Mahomes, Wilson, Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford? It was reported that the Browns didn’t think Jimmy Garoppolo was much of an upgrade over Mayfield, and they are probably right.
The same can be said of Derek Carr, Ryan Tannehill, and a few others.
We often wonder what the thinking around town would be if Mayfield would have been ruled out for the season after injuring his shoulder in week two. Browns’ fans and media would be skipping around town with thoughts of a healthy Mayfield behind center in 2022.
However, he played, he didn’t play well, and the organization has to wear that.
Don’t forget, the free agency period hasn’t started yet, and the draft will not take place until the end of April. Our guess is Berry isn’t going to let the team get worse. They will upgrade the areas of weakness, with particular attention to the defensive line and wide receiver.
And they will probably bring in another quarterback, perhaps in a trade to replace Baker Mayfield before the season.
The majority of teams in the NFL are in the same boat as the Cleveland Browns. As we’ve said before, getting an elite QB isn’t easy.
Cleveland Sports Perspective 