NFL Draft Rumors: Cleveland Browns don’t rule out trading up for Marcus Mariota

By Patrick Schmidt | Apr 21, 2015

Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota throws a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine doesn’t close the door on the team trading up for Marcus Mariota in the 2015 NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns showed the willingness to move up and down in last year’s NFL Draft when they traded down to draft Justin Gilbert and traded up to pick Johnny Manziel. With two first round picks this year, the Browns could be moving up in the draft again this year to take another quarterback.

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Mike Pettine spoke with the media on Tuesday afternoon where he fielded a myriad of questions, but most of them centered around the quarterback position where the Browns have Manziel returning from rehab, Josh McCown signed to a new contract, Connor Shaw back after starting last year’s season finale and Thad Lewis who started with Buffalo on the roster.

Pettine said it’s too early to pencil in a starter but McCown is the favorite to open the season as the starter with the others having far more questions than answers. McCown doesn’t offer much upside but he is a known quantity. But what if the Browns want to try to solve the quarterback riddle that has befuddled them for decades and make a move up in the draft for Marcus Mariota?

#Browns HC Mike Pettine was asked if he's willing to trade up in #NFLDraft for QB Marcus Mariota: "Sure. Why not?" he said with smile.
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) April 21, 2015

You can’t get a straight answer from coaches, general managers and front office personnel this close to the draft, so Pettine isn’t going to tip the organization’s hand and come right out and say the team is actively trying to trade up in the draft for a specific player. That hurts their bargaining power, but a trade up for the reigning Heisman Trophy winner does make a great deal of sense.

Armed with two first round picks as part of the draft-day trade with the Buffalo Bills last year, the Browns have the necessary ammunition to move into the top two where it likely will take to get Mariota and the Tennessee Titans who own the No. 2 pick could be interested in moving down if they don’t move the pick to the San Diego Chargers in a Philip Rivers trade.

Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt doesn’t seem to be enamored with Mariota and would prefer to trade for a veteran like Rivers or stick with second-year quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Signing McCown would allow Mariota to ease into the position so he’s not thrown into the fire from Day 1 like so many rookie quarterbacks are now and you can’t trust Manziel to develop into a future starter.

If they traded the No. 12 and No. 19 picks for Mariota it would send a clear message that they think Mariota is a franchise quarterback, Manziel isn’t believed to be the long-term solution at the position and McCown is nothing more than a placeholder.

If you’re the Browns do you stand pat and fill needs elsewhere with the two picks or make the bold move to get Mariota?

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