There’s no bigger challenge for new Browns General Manager Ray Farmer than finding a quarterback.
The perennial question for the Browns, Farmer knows answering it will go a long way toward determining his success and longevity.
And while there were reports the previous administration was leaning heavily toward Johnny Manziel, Farmer has the ability to play coy now. In a Q and A with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Farmer was able to blow some smoke about his intentions.
“Yes, I do,” Farmer said if he knew he’d take today if he had to. “I’ve studied the quarterbacks and I’ve studied other players, and I’ve already started to formulate the rank and order of each position. I do know what I’d do if I was held down at the moment. It doesn’t mean that can’t change, but I currently have somebody in front..
The Browns have the fourth overall pick, but the extra first-rounder from the Trent Richardson deal gives them the ability to move around a bit. And Farmer hedged when asked if the quarterback he preferred was the fourth pick.
“I’d say that No. 4 is not necessarily where I would take the guy that I like,” Farmer said. “Again, it may not be the name that everybody thinks is the latest, greatest, and the easy one to spot. There’s definitely an art to selecting people in the draft and it’s finding the right name that fits who you want to be.
“I haven’t revealed to many people who that person is that I may like. I think it’s an interesting debate. If I were to say ‘I like player A’ I don’t know if it poisons the pool. I’ll let everybody else have the conversations before I comment. They might say ‘I like player A too’ instead of giving honest feedback.”
Getting that decision right is something that has eluded the Browns since their return to Cleveland, so Farmer knows the pressure he’s under right now.