With yet another draft pick, the Cleveland Browns are reportedly going after Jimmy Garoppolo
Are the Cleveland Browns positioning themselves to get Jimmy Garoppolo? If Thursday is any indication, it appears so.
The Browns traded a compensatory fourth-round draft pick to the Texans for quarterback Brock Osweiler, a second-round pick, and a sixth-round pick.
In other words, the Texans gave the Browns their second-round pick to take on Osweiler and his massive contract. The first quote of the team’s press release on the trade was revealing.
“We’re really excited to acquire a second round draft choice in this trade,” Browns general manager Sashi Brown said, before evening mentioning Osweiler’s name.
According to multiple reports, the team is looking of offload the 26-year-old quarterback, one way or another.
The reason: Cleveland has their eye on another young quarterback.
Both the Cleveland-based Plain Dealer and NFL.com are reporting that the Browns are hoping to use their newfound second-round draft pick to put together a trade package for Garoppolo — even though the Patriots are reportedly not eager to part with the 25-year-old backup.
My understanding is #Browns are expected to make a run at Jimmy G. They can offer the most. I do not believe the #Patriots want to trade him
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2017
Following Thursday’s trade, the Browns now have the No. 1 and No. 12 overall picks and two second-round picks in this year’s draft, as well as a first-rounder and three second-rounders next year.
“The Browns have the ammunition to acquire Jimmy Garoppolo and will try to put together a strong package that the Patriots will accept,” wrote The Plain Dealer‘s Mary Kay Cabot.
The #Browns draft picks after the Osweiler trade:
2017: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6
2018: 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 7— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) March 9, 2017
Cabot reported earlier this week that keeping the No. 1 pick and trading the No. 12 pick as the main piece for Garoppolo would be the Brown’s “dream scenario.” But on Thursday, Cabot reported that alone likely wouldn’t be enough, and that the Patriots may demand the No. 1 overall pick.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport told the NFL Network that no other team in the league thinks they can compete with what the Browns can offer for Garoppolo. But he also said the Patriots are not currently comfortable with Jacoby Brissett as the sole backup to Tom Brady.
“Everything has a price, but they don’t want to do it,” Rapoport said Thursday.
