The Cleveland Browns didn't include a single quarterback among their 12-player haul from the 2015 NFL Draft, but coach Mike Pettine isn't sweating it.
"I don't think we can emphasize it enough that we're going to build a football team," Pettine said Saturday, per The Plain Dealer. "We're not going to over-prioritize the quarterback position."
After being linked to trade reports involving Sam Bradford and Oregon's Marcus Mariota, Cleveland wound up keeping both of their first-round picks to kick off a draft that saw the Browns emphasize restocking both lines and strengthening a juicy secondary.
With only Josh McCown and wild-card second-year passer Johnny Manziel under center, though, excitement over the roster is tempered. Still, Pettine shrugged off the concept that his team can't compete in the rough-and-tumble AFC North.
"We go 11 against 11, we're not just trotting quarterbacks out on the 50-yard line and thumb wrestling," quipped the coach. "To me there are a lot of different ways to win football games. You just don't force the situation. If we perceive our quarterback group is not the best in the division, what does that mean? Do we call the league and cancel games? You still gotta play."
To be fair, it was a terrible offseason to find a veteran arm while the draft held nothing of high value beyond Jameis Winston and Mariota. The Browns certainly explored trading for more competition, but those potential deals fell through.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down the 2015 NFL Draft, picking out the biggest winners and losers. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.