Browns front office screwed up two trades at deadline...

[GMDino]

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/11/1/nfl-trade-deadline-roundup-browns-mccarron-mmqb-newsletter

Quote:The 0-8 Browns were already a mess, with no stability at QB, a coach who is 1-23 in Cleveland, and reported backroom discord. So after Tuesday, is there even a word to describe the organization—at least one that doesn't include profanity? Here's what we know. The Browns and Bengals seem to have agreed on a deal that would have sent backup Bengals QB A.J. McCarron (whom Hue Jackson has liked since his time in Cincinnati) to Cleveland just before Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline. According to Adam Schefter, the trade was agreed upon at 3:55 p.m., and Cincinnati sent the requisite paperwork to the league shortly thereafter. But the Browns, well, dropped the ball, failing to properly notify NFL headquarters. Cleveland.com reports that the Browns sent the paperwork to Cincinnati, expecting the Bengals to forward it to the league offices. Schefter reported that the team lobbied for the trade to still be accepted, but the Browns lost . . . again. Oy vey.


The highly educated members of Cleveland's front office still deserved a modicum of trust in their ability to accrue assets and build through the draft, despite the current results on the field. But this latest debacle calls into question the management’s ability to function competently. Let's be clear: there's a high chance McCarron would not have solved the Browns' long-running QB problems had he been acquired. In fact, if the trade had gone through, we might have looked back on it in a couple years (or weeks) and wondered why Cleveland gave up so much. The only main selling point for the Cincy backup over someone like Jimmy Garoppolo is that McCarron comes with a more team-friendly deal. But not completing the trade this way harms rookie DeShone Kizer's relationship with his bosses and shatters any cause for confidence in and around Berea, Ohio. Plus, given the franchise’s luck, watch McCarron now go on to find a starring role elsewhere.

With half of the year to go, there’s only one question left for the Browns: How will they screw up next?