Monthly Archives: April 2014

So whose quarterback model will the Cleveland Browns follow? I’ve been looking in my crystal ball that Bill Belichick loaned me to try and find out. Will it be that of the big, strong quarterbacks like Ben Rothlisberger in Pittsburgh and Joe Flacco in Baltimore, who have a total of 3 Super Bowl wins? Could it be that of the Cincinnati Bengals who have, at best, an average quarterback in Andy Dalton, but have surrounded him with a lot of offensive weapons? Or might they go with the smaller, more mobile quarterback like the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson?

New G.M. Ray Farmer must decide which way he feels is best for this Browns team. If the owner has any influence, and I believe he does because Jimmy Haslam III has taken a more hands on approach, I’ve got to believe JH3’s preference would be that of the bigger framed, more prototypical drop back type quarterback who can take a hit or two and not miss many games. This is what has been successful in the AFC North and it’s what Haslam saw when he was a minority owner with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With that in mind, it would lead one to believe that the quarterbacks the Browns would be targeting then are Blake Bortles early in the first round, or guys like Derek Carr, A.J. McCarron or Zack Mettenberger later in the draft.

However maybe I’m way off base and Farmer and Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the boys in Berea are feeling lucky and are willing to roll the dice on quarterback who prefers to roll the pocket and make plays with his feet as well as his arm. If that’s the case, then Johnny Manziel would be the guy.

Give Ray Farmer credit, in his first year on the job he’s keeping everyone guessing as to which way the Browns will go. However, while Farmer hasn’t tipped his hand as to which type, or which quarterback he likes best, the one thing I do know for sure is, the Browns with 10 picks in this draft, will use at least one, or maybe even two of those picks on a quarterback. That’s the one thing that is crystal clear about this draft for the Browns!