The Browns are expected to take a quarterback with the first overall pick in the draft. It’s still not clear which one they’ll take.
Conventional wisdom had centered on USC quarterback Sam Darnold. In recent weeks, however, Wyoming’s Josh Allen has emerged as a potential alternative.
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer collects and summarizes the various reports linking the Browns to Allen. The common thread? G.M. John Dorsey’s affinity for rocket-armed throwers. Last year, for example, the Chiefs (under Dorsey) moved from No. 27 to No. 10 to get Patrick Mahomes. And Dorsey spent years in Green Bay with Brett Favre as the resident gunslinger.
With the Giants reportedly interested in Darnold or no quarterback at No. 2, the Browns could try to cajole the Giants to move to No. 1, which then would allow the Browns to get Allen at No. 2. Falling any farther than No. 2 would make it more difficult for the Browns to get Allen.
If the Browns take Allen at No. 1 and the Giants take Darnold at No. 2, the Jets would then likely take Baker Mayfield or Josh Rosen at No. 3, giving the Browns at No. 4 the de facto No. 1 overall non-quarterback.
With more than two weeks to go until the draft begins, look for plenty of other rumors and reports and stuff that otherwise will give people something to talk about. Then, once the picks start to be made, we can collectively forget about all the hypothetical chatter from before the draft and focus on the actual assignments of players to teams, pick by pick through all seven rounds.