Report: Browns willing to trade up in draft for Johnny Manziel

[RS12]

The narrative linking the Cleveland Browns to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel got a bit deeper Monday when a report surfaced that the club would be willing to trade up to get the dynamic Aggies star.

This from cbssports.com:

"... they are willing to trade up to land Johnny Manziel in the draft if need be, sources said, and have an owner, Jimmy Haslam, who is committed to spending their abundant cap space to try to win quickly."

Although this is far from the first time the Browns' interest in the quarterback has been reported, it is the first indication that Cleveland may like him enough to trade up from the No. 4 overall pick to get it done. Its options to do so are strong, given the club has a pair of first-round picks. The Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars pick ahead of the Browns. The Texans and Ramshave both indicated they may have an interest in trading back, so the Browns may not find it tough to make a move up.

A number of teams drafting early in the first round have a need at quarterback, according to NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's look at each club's biggest needs. Those include the Texans, Jaguars,Browns, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans.

If Cleveland's reported interest in Manziel is merely a ploy to draw more trade interest in it's own pick from other clubs, the disguise is beginning to look pretty obvious. Sometimes the smart fish swim past the shiniest lures.

Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...up-for-johnny-manziel?campaign=Twitter_nfl_cb

 

[TheCowboy]

Houston is the right team for Johnny Manziel. I can't imagine him doing well in Cleveland. Jacksonville might be a decent fit for him too.

 

[Tabascocat]

He would already be the best QB they have had since Bernie even before suiting up

 

[DFWJC]

The Browns actually have some pretty good pieces in place.
They do need a QB though. Can't really say in Manziel would be the answer though.

 

[reddyuta]

I like Maziel but Bridgwater is way better than him,Texans would be idiots to to Manziel no 1 overall.

 

[dantheman41]

This screams smoke screen. Do you really think if the Browns LOVED Manziel like everyone is reporting the whole media world would know? It would be one thing if they had the #1 pick in the draft, but they don't. They probably like one of the other QB's.

 

[RS12]

Tony Pauline ‏@TonyPauline2h
Source familiar with the Texans tells me the team would have no problem drafting Bortles & bringing in a veteran to ease Bortles along.


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6:10 PM CST


- For three weeks now I’ve reported several sources on the outside confiding to me that Blake Bortles is the perfect fit for the Houston Texans. I can now say coaches on the Houston staff have expressed how much the team is enamored with the Central Florida quarterback. During conversations at the player hotel they said the feeling around the organization is Bortles has the complete package and will only get better in time. Could it be a smoke screen?? Maybe- yet where there’s smoke there’s usually fire and there has been plenty of smoke around this coupling.

- For his part Bortles is on the West Coast training for the combine. I’m told he’s working daily on his mechanics under the tutelage of Jordan Palmer, the former UTEP signal caller and younger brother to Carson Palmer. Bortles has also been working and learning the white board under former NFL offensive coordinator Ted Tollner.

- As well as three days of intense practice the Senior Bowl is also the place free agency is initially broached. The rumors around Mobile center on Alex Mack potentially finding a new home in 2014. Sources say its far from a given the All Pro center will be resigned by the Cleveland Browns and early speculation has Tampa Bay as Mack’s new home.

- I can tell fans of the Oakland Raiders their general manager, Reggie McKenzie, is at the players hotel working his butt off. McKenzie has interviewed a number of players throughout the afternoon. Sunday is usually more of a settling in day for upper management of teams around the league.

 

[texbumthelife]

This is how bad franchises stay that way for so long. Use both of those picks to shore up your lines or invest in making that D elite, then go QB in the second round.

If they could get a legit pass rusher and Dennard to go across from Hayden...

 

[SportsGuru80]

They would be stupid to pass on Bridgewater

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

They would be stupid to pass on Bridgewater

I would take all of the Houston reports with a grain of salt at the moment. Bill O'Brien just saw Blake Bortles pick his team apart this past season and he has admittedly never seen Bridgewater play a game.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Personally, I think Cleveland would be better served by taking WR Sammy Watkins with their 1st first round pick and taking Bortles with their 2nd first round pick. They may have to move up a little from their later 1st round pick but it wouldn't be as costly and maybe Bortles falls to them. If Bortles doesn't fall or the price is too steep to move up, Cleveland can go to their backup plan of maybe picking up Tahj Boyd later or even Garrapolo in the mid-rounds. No way would I be mortgaging the farm for Manziel. If he falls, then yeah, maybe take him but I wouldn't trade up for him with my top pick.