The Right Move
Eleven years ago the Browns had an opportunity to draft Donovan McNabb. They passed, selecting Tim Couch instead which turned out to be the wrong move. I know, I’m not telling you anything you didn’t already know.
With McNabb being traded over the weekend to Washington for a second-round pick and either a third- or a fourth-round pick, we’re left to wonder if the Browns had made a move would they have landed the QB that could have been the face of the franchise for the past decade? They could have easily matched Washington’s offer and the allure of sending McNabb out of the division may have sealed the deal for the Eagles. But if they were in talks for a McNabb trade, not pulling the trigger was the right call, just as much as not drafting him was the wrong one.
While McNabb certainly would be an improvement over Jake Delhomme for the next few years, he still would not be the long-term solution to the QB position. By holding on to their remaining picks – they have five in the top 100 (spots 7, 38, 71, 85 & 92) the Browns can fill a hole either in the secondary or offensive line with the first pick and then still make a move in the second round (or trade up to the late first round) to grab the potential QB of the future.
We may never know if the Browns were tempted, but in the end the Holmgren/Heckert brain trust made the right call.
In other news, nice work at Cleveland Frowns on ESPN New York’s love affair with LeBron.
And Waiting for Next Year checks in with an additional take on what the McNabb trade could mean for the Browns draft plans.
Red Right 88 