AJ McCarron Trade Reportedly Being Discussed by Bengals, Browns

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns have discussed a potential trade that would send AJ McCarron to the Browns. 

However, ESPN's Josina Anderson noted that a Bengals source told her the Browns haven't contacted the team about a potential trade. 

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote of that possible trade, "McCarron wants to be traded, and Hue Jackson likes him. McCarron knows the system and he'd be cheaper than [Jimmy] Garoppolo. A couple of second-round picks might do it, one source close to the situation said. Would the Bengals trade McCarron to their AFC North rivals? I believe they would. But will the Browns want to surrender the picks to do it?"

Given how the Browns have stockpiled picks over the last two years, that second question might be the potential deal breaker in any McCarron talks.

While the Browns made three first-round selections last evening, none of them were quarterbacks. Instead, the team selected defensive end Myles Garrett (No. 1), safety Jabrill Peppers (No. 25) and tight end David Njoku (No. 29), bypassing quarterback options like Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.

It's the second year in a row the Browns found themselves in a position to pick one of the top quarterbacks but instead passed on that option. Last season, the team traded the No. 2 pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for five picks, including Philly's first-rounder this year and second-rounder next year. The Eagles, in turn, selected Carson Wentz.

That doesn't mean the Browns haven't done their due diligence at the quarterback position, however.

On Thursday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Browns were inquiring about Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins. And Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Friday that the team again talked to the New England Patriots about trading for backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

And the Browns could still draft a quarterback on Friday or Saturday as well. DeShone Kizer (Matt Miller's No. 11 player remaining on the board), Davis Webb (No. 32), Nathan Peterman (No. 49), Brad Kaaya (No. 67) and Joshua Dobbs (No. 92) are all potential options.