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Cleveland Browns wanted to trade up to draft Bryce Petty

By Patrick Schmidt

Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Bryce Petty throws a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Bryce Petty throws a pass during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Browns missed on a chance to draft quarterback Bryce Petty in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

With Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis on the Browns depth chart at quarterback it was no wonder that they were linked to no shortage of trade rumors in the lead up to the draft and during the draft to upgrade at the most important position.

Cleveland was rumored to be packaging their two first round picks up to the No. 2 spot where they would take Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota but that didn’t come to fruition as the Tennessee Titans held onto their pick. Their next step could have involved swinging a deal for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, but Chip Kelly and the Eagles had no desire to move him after they acquired him in the offseason from the St. Louis Rams and is their likely starter this year.

The quarterbacks behind Jameis Winston and Mariota were a sizeable gap below the top two picks in the draft but there was Garrett Grayson, Sean Mannion and Bryce Petty who could have interested the Browns. As the fourth round began, only Petty was still on the board and according to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport, Cleveland tried to trade up to get the Baylor quarterback who was a top-10 finisher in the Heisman the last two years.

But their offer to the Jacksonville Jaguars wasn’t as sweet as the one the New York Jets offered and they saw them take Petty who could challenge Geno Smith for the starting job, perhaps as early as this season.

However, Nate Ulrich of the Arkon Beacon Journal tweets the Browns weren’t trying to trade up for Petty.

Petty was a highly productive player the last two years at Baylor where he was the 2013 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and led the Bears to the nation’s highest scoring offense in 2014 but he is far from a finished product either. He may need a full year depending on his ability to digest the Jets playbook before he’s in a position where he can help the team win.

Nevertheless, this is more fuel for the fire in the never-ending Browns bungled quarterback situation.

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