With Brian Hoyer nursing a shoulder injury and rookie Johnny Manzielruled out with the tweaked hamstring he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Panthers, Cleveland dialed up Rex Grossman about a job.
The journeyman, though, didn't bite.
ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler first reported Monday that the sides couldn't hammer out logistics, especially with Grossman hosting family for the holidays. NFL Media's Jeff Darlington later confirmed that Grossman, 34, has no desire to sign for the one-week league minimum.
To be clear: The Browns have been turned down for candy canes, Yule Log on Channel 11 and a few boozy glasses of eggnog with the in-laws.
Grossman's declined RSVP leaves Cleveland all but certain to start undrafted rookie Connor Shaw on Sunday against the Ravens. Shaw showed moxie in the preseason, but four straight losses have squeezed any sense of hope out of this once-promising Browns campaign.
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