AJ McCarron Reportedly Was Nearly Traded to Browns Before Deadline

The Cleveland Browns didn't improve their roster before Tuesday's trade deadline, but they almost acquired Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback AJ McCarron.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Browns and Bengals discussed a deal that got "close" to completion, but nothing was finalized.

Schefter reported the Bengals had approved the deal five minutes before the 4 p.m. ET deadline but the Browns didn't agree in time. ESPN Radio's Tony Grossi reported the Browns were celebrating the trade and forgot to call in the deal before the deadline, according to college Aaron Goldhammer. Schefter detailed what happened once the deadline had passed:

The Bengals would have acquired a second- and third-round pick in the 2018 draft in the trade, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns had "pushed hard" for both McCarron and Jimmy Garoppolo during the offseason to fill their hole at quarterback. Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday in exchange for a second-round pick, which may have made the Browns more aggressive in going after McCarron.

The 2014 fifth-round pick has seen limited playing time in the NFL, making his only three starts in 2015. He hasn't thrown a pass in either of the past two seasons.

McCarron did perform well when given a chance, throwing six touchdowns with only two interceptions for a 97.1 quarterback rating. However, he has not beat out Andy Dalton for a role in the Bengals offense.

It appears DeShone Kizer will remain the Browns' starting quarterback with Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan available in case the rookie continues to struggle. It wouldn't be surprising, however, to see the organization re-examine this deal in the offseason.