CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!
THE DAILY BLOVIATION
It's Year 27 of the expansion era and we should be due to land a franchise quarterback any… day… now. Right?
Yes, we're living in the future, 2026, with AI exploding all over the place, autonomous drones, and the US going back to the moon, but the Cleveland Browns are still searching for a quarterback to help them define the early 21st century.
Thank you for your patience.
There was buzz yesterday, not of a solution to the franchise quarterback question, but that of a potential stopgap for a year or two. The Arizona Cardinals are releasing problematic top pick Kyler Murray from his future obligations with their franchise. Hence, the Cleveland Browns, sort of the large hulking catfish of the NFL quarterback world, might be in a position to gobble him up if he drops to the bottom of the pond. As a nice bonus, the Cardinals are so anxious to get rid of him that they're picking up most of the tab for his 2026 season, making him a conveniently low-cost option for the folks in Berea.
At this point, however, I must digress and point out a personal failing: Of all the things that have captured my attention in the last few years, the Arizona Cardinals have not been one of them. This is largely because they've been more-or-less irrelevant, trapped as they are with perhaps the worst owner in the league. Furthermore, they're out west, not in our conference and exceptionally boring, so their games are rarely broadcast to Cleveland. Therefore, my personal knowledge of Kyler Murray's tenure there was limited mostly to sensing the radiating waves of disappointment that have been emanating from Phoenix and the surrounding desert.
Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
In looking over Murray's career, it has played out like so many others in the NFL with bright initial promise followed by injury issues. Murray was the first pick overall in the 2019 draft and quickly found himself named to two Pro Bowls and leading the woeful Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021, taking the squad to an 11-5 record but a quick playoff exit. The Cardinals were enthusiastic enough about his prospects that they signed him to a massive five-year, $230 contract, which was almost Watsonian in its largess, but not fully guaranteed. Then, later that year, Murray suffered an ACL injury and, since, it's been a three-year story of trying to bounce back from injury. Along with rumors of less-than-stellar leadership skills, Murray couldn't find any takers on the trade market, so the Cardinals elected to just dump him and plow on to a future without him.
For bottom feeders like the Browns have been at quarterback, Murrey still has his early track record of success and promising upside with a decent arm and great mobility. He is small for an NFL quarterback, but the Browns are facing a season with a fifth-round pick or Deshaun Watson serving as the more likely alternatives. Suddenly, taking a shot that Murray could rebound doesn't seem like such a horrible proposition after all.
Unfortunately for the Browns, Murray will have options. There's a lot of buzz about Murray going to the Vikings, who are wisely reevaluating the notion of J.J. McCarthy as their quarterback of the future. The Vikings have, among other things, WR Justin Jefferson as a target, and there was some chatter yesterday after Jefferson and Murray connected on a social media site. Still, there are doubters about Murray's fit there, and even ESPN predicted that Murray would land in Cleveland.
Speaking only for myself, trying to hope for upside on a player rejected by the moribund Cardinals doesn't seem like something that would excite men about the upcoming 2026 season. I'd be happier with a more predictably reliable veteran who can hold down the fort until the 2027 draft comes around. But I'm foolishly convinced that I will somehow survive to see the Browns play in a dome in 2029, so I'm willing to play the long game. What's another couple of years, right?
IN THE NEWS:
– The Jets, for some reason, are the betting favorites to land Alabama QB Ty Simpson. I'd short that stock if I could, which would involve knowing more about gambling than I do, or having some available cash. I don't see how he gets past the Steelers and Browns in the lower part of the first round, and I don't see the Jets spending the #2 pick on him. But he's having a moment, and I could be surprised. This is why I don't gamble - I'm never sure of anything, and (despite my experience in Cleveland) am not particularly an expert in predicting what awful teams will do when given a draft pick to spend.
– The Browns reboot of their offensive line is going to go even deeper, as the team cut OT Cornelius Lucas and C Justin Osborne yesterday. The Lucas move opens up about $2 million in cap space, likely to ink another offensive lineman.
– If the Browns are willing to take another leap into the quarterback unknown, Kurt Warner questions how much teams should be willing to pay for Malik Willis. Taking out screen passes and other quick throws, Warner says Willis' usable tape is down to 28 throws - not enough to convince teams to throw $30 million at him.
– The NFL wants to take a look at their TV right deals, which means they want more money, which means that the money will ultimately come from the general public. You and me. Same as it ever way.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
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- Does Browns Trade for Starting OT Alter Plans to Draft One of the Top Tackles, Including the 'Biggest Riser'?
- Cleveland Browns Free Agents & Potential Contract Tenders
FROM THE FORUMS
ASK THE INSIDERS (VIP)
- Jack: Follow up on 1st round cap hits
- Michael Hall Jr Noise
- Monken and QB Development
- Jack: Follow up on 1st round cap hits
- Michael Hall Jr Noise
- Kyler Murray
- Coordinators
- Walter Little
- Dawand Jones.
- Linderbaum top option
- Murray for $1.3 Million or Geno for $27 Million?
- Kyler Murray & Monken scheme
- Question on "length "
- Pete: Willis vs Smith
THE WATERCOOLER
-Teller Family Posts Thank You Video
- Report on Alec Pierce's Criteria for Choosing Team
- Rap: Bengals ED Hendrickson Says Goodbye
- Rap: 4 Players Tagged by 3/3 Deadline
- Rap: Cardinals to Cut QB Murray
- Browns' Site Posts Coaching Staff
- Schefter: Bearce C Dalman Retires Suddenly
- Fowler: Browns Releasing Lucas
THE LIFT
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
The Urge to Snack Is Built Into Our Brains
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WRAPPING UP
When not looking in the pantry for Doritos, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.
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