Cleveland Browns Mock Draft: Browns Could Be out of Robert Griffin Sweepstakes

Reports regarding Peyton Manning's release by the Indianapolis Colts and his potential landing spot have dominated media coverage since Wednesday, but there is news regarding other signal-callers.

Included in that news is the possibility that one of the teams rumored to be interested in trading up in April's draft to select Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin may be out of the bidding before it even truly gets underway.

The Cleveland Browns need offensive upgrades as badly as any team in the NFL and while general manager Tom Heckert didn't rule out the possibility of Colt McCoy remaining the team's starter under center in 2012 in an interview with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Heckert also mentioned that the Browns could look to add a quarterback in the draft. He was especially effusive in his praise of Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden.

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We still think Colt can play in this league and it's our job to help him out, If we catch more balls, if we protect him more, he can be much-improved.

I really like [Weeden] a lot. We're going to see him (throw) Friday. He's mature and he's telling you it's a positive. He's a really interesting guy. He's super smart.

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The biggest knock on Weeden—who threw for over 4,700 yards in 2011 for the Cowboys—is that the 6'4" 221-pounder will be a 28-year-old rookie after pursuing a professional baseball career. This means that the second team All Big-12 performer would likely be available to the Browns with the fourth pick of the second round. Weeden will almost certainly still be on the board when the Browns make their second pick of the first round at No. 22.

Following on the heels of an earlier report that the Browns have taken the 22nd overall pick off the table, it appears that Cleveland may no longer be interested (if they ever really were) in moving up to acquire the second overall pick from the St. Louis Rams. However, Heckert admitted to ESPN that the Browns and Rams have spoken regarding it, stating that while the talks weren't "serious" he would "never say never about anything."

The Browns are rumored to be bringing in Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn for a visit once free agency opens and as Cabot reports, Heckert all but shot down the chance that Cleveland will attempt to move up in April's draft.

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Even though the Browns are up for anything with their No. 4 pick, all the talk about the Browns moving up to No. 2 to draft Griffin III "is crazy. We feel comfortable staying at No. 4 and getting a really good player. We feel comfortable moving back and getting extra picks too."

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This can't be welcome news for the St. Louis Rams. With the Cleveland Browns apparently balking at the high price tag that the second pick may command and the Miami Dolphins reportedly set to make a "full court press" to sign Peyton Manning, it seems that the number of potential suitors for Robert Griffin III could be shrinking by the day. And as they do, so does the compensation that the Rams can expect to receive for trading the rights to draft him.

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