2018 NFL Draft Rumors: Browns Have Considered Drafting 2 QBs in 1st Round

The Cleveland Browns have considered selecting two quarterbacks in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, according to Kevin Clark of The Ringer.

Cleveland holds picks No. 1 and No. 4, and Clark said he asked "multiple members" of the organization if they have "considered ignoring all norms and drafting two quarterbacks high in the draft."

"The answer is yes. The people I asked have thought about it, discussed it and investigated it," Clark wrote. "This is not to say it will happen, but the Browns have considered it. In fact, one person I spoke with could immediately rattle off every previous instance of teams drafting two passers high because he'd done the prep work on the idea."

If the Browns selected a quarterback with their first-round picks at No. 1 and No. 4, it would be unprecedented. It's also fair to question if it would actually be logical.

The obvious benefit is that it would double the team's odds of landing a franchise quarterback, a position that has been the realm of failed draft picks, washed-up veterans and journeymen placeholders since Bernie Kosar hung up his cleats. 

On the other hand, Clark outlined the reasons it wouldn't necessarily make sense:

"The people I spoke with, however, were quick to outline the downsides—not enough practice reps to develop two quarterbacks and the inability to trade a rookie midseason because of a clause in the CBA. One person I spoke with mentioned how many unintended consequences you’d face if you upended the draft in such a way (specifically in the far-fetched scenario in which they took two passers in the top four), but that he’d still thought about it plenty."

Remember, the Browns have Tyrod Taylor on the roster, and he's expected to be the starter in 2018. There are only so many reps to go around.

And what if the Browns whiffed on both quarterbacks they selected? What if they wasted not one, but two draft picks on a position and neither player became a long-term solution? The organization would never live it down. General manager John Dorsey's reputation would forever be stained, and the team's rebuilding strategy would be set back years. 

Imagine the Browns passing on players like Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson in past drafts and then missing on two quarterbacks in 2018.

If, for instance, the Browns take a quarterback at No. 1 and then land a player at a different position like Saquon Barkley or Bradley Chubb at No. 4, at least they didn't put all their eggs into one position. Sure, quarterback is the most important position in the NFL, but you still have to build a strong roster around that player.

Nobody would blame the Browns for taking a quarterback with the top overall pick and then addressing the position again in the late rounds of the draft, when the odds of landing a true franchise player at a different position are slim. But on the off chance the Browns do select two quarterbacks in the first round, it undoubtedly would be one of the most controversial draft decisions in years.