

(Editor’s note: This is excerpted from Mike Sando’s story on execs assessing AFC teams’ free agency.)
The Cleveland Browns’ new deal for Myles Garrett reset the market for pass rushers while upping the price Cincinnati paid for Ja’Marr Chase after the Bengals promised to make their receiver the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
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Giant as that move was, execs around the league remain most interested in what Cleveland has planned at quarterback.
“It’s such a weak quarterback draft and free-agency class at the position,” one exec said. “Is there a temptation to suck for Arch Manning?”
Not all are convinced the Browns will select a quarterback at No. 2 in the draft.
“Are they drafting or tanking?” another exec asked. “If you are tanking, then you would be down to one year left on Deshaun (Watson). I’m sure they are like, ‘Hey, Joe Flacco got us to the playoffs and we can do whatever.’”
What about Kirk Cousins as a post-draft trade acquisition?
“(Kevin) Stefanski knows him, but I cannot see them going with another guy who is older and injured,” another exec said. “Not that Deshaun is old, but he never got going.”
Another exec thought Cousins and the newly acquired Kenny Pickett would be an upgrade for Cleveland.
“If I’m Cleveland, and I don’t love Shedeur (Sanders) at pick No. 2, I have a two-time Coach of the Year, a GM that got a second contract, so could that regime possibly survive a worst-team-in-the-league season to get Arch Manning next year?” the first exec said.
The NFL previously cleared the Browns of tanking allegations raised by former coach Hue Jackson.
“You are not guaranteed Arch Manning is going to come out, or that he will agree to go to Cleveland, so my guess is, they draft a quarterback this year,” one of the execs said. “If you were tanking, I don’t know why you would give Myles Garrett all that money.”
There’s no advantage to Cleveland broadcasting its plans now.
“This offseason, what veteran quarterback is there in free agency where you are like, ‘Oh, I feel much better about having this guy on my roster compared to the unknown?’” another exec said. “If your options are what Cleveland is doing or what the Giants did, that doesn’t make me excited.”
(Photos of Andrew Berry, left, and Arch Manning: Stacy Revere, Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
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