CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans!
Yesterday was a busy day for the Cleveland Browns as Andrew Berry met with reporters at the Annual League Meetings in Arizona. Basically, Cleveland reporters traveled across the country in order to ask Berry questions about the Myes Garett situation, which remained a story of interest despite the team's emphatic denials that they have any intention of trading the star defensive end. The result, at the end of the day, was that Berry again proclaimed that Garrett isn't going to be traded, while refusing to say why they changed his contract. So, status quo.
Lacking that explanation, though, the internet will continue to speculate. My personal speculation is that the Browns changed the contract for flexibility purposes, and that Andrew Berry is telling the truth that the team's position isn't to deal Garrett away, but the contract change is there in case of the possibility that the world may warp in a way that changes that team's position. The job is to ensure the team is ready for all circumstances, even when they seem unlikely. The team even trotted out the Official Site to declare Garrett isn't going anywhere.
It doesn't seem that complicated, but Berry's insistence on making the very GM-ish move of saying Garrett's unavailable without explaining why the move was made has led to some infighting between Browns media trying to (for reasons unknown) put the kibosh on speculation, fans who want to believe that those calling out the team's unexplained move is simply clickbait, and those are who legitimately wanting to know why the move was made.
Still, the team's position is a smart one. If any other team actually wants to make a move, the Browns are positioned in a way to maximize return, while still saying that trading away generational pass rushers isn't something they want to do. Seems like a winning strategy to me.
Berry also addressed the quarterback situation at the league meetings, saying it is "wholly realistic" that Cleveland adds a young QB this offseason. That's a carefully chosen phrase — not "we're taking Ty Simpson in the first round," but not ruling it out either. Adding fuel to the fire, one NFL "insider" has Deshaun Watson in "pole position" for the QB1 job over Shedeur Sanders. Watson, of course, is already under contract and still theoretically recovering. If the Browns do add a young QB via the draft, it likely means competition — not a coronation — for whoever lines up under center in Week 1. Vegas puts the Browns as the fourth most likely to snag Simpson, although I consider a later-round QB like Drew Allar or Garrett Nussmeier more likely.
Ty Simpson
Ty Simpson (Photo: Getty)
In disappointing roster news, the Browns' attempted signing of defensive end A.J. Epenesa has fallen apart. An agreement was reportedly in place, but Cleveland opted not to sign him after reviewing his physical. No details on what the physical revealed, but it's a blow to a pass rush depth chart that needs bodies. Does this impact the Browns draft strategy if Reuben Bain or David Bailey are still on the board at #6? Time to crank up the speculation-mobile.
Elsewhere, the NFL is facing an antitrust threat from FCC Chair Brendan Carr over the league's streaming strategy. Worth watching as this could have implications for how Browns games are distributed in the years ahead. Apparently, NFL franchises can be ripped away from their fans, cities extorted for multi-billion dollar stadiums, but putting games on Amazon Prime is a bridge too far. My limited webdorkian brain can't even begin to wrap itself around what happens in Berea, let alone Washington, D.C.
See you tonight for Gang of Three, I hope.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
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When not endlessly wondering WTF is actually up, 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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