The Cleveland Browns haven't abandoned hope of landing quarterback Sam Bradford in a trade.
The Browns believe they have a good chance to trade forPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, The MMQB's Peter King reported Thursday.
Cleveland is unwilling to part with both 2015 first-round picks in addition to their 2016 first-rounder for the opportunity to draft Oregon's Marcus Mariota at No. 2 overall, according to King as well as The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.
The Browns' interest in Bradford is no surprise, but the former No. 1 overall pick isn't without warts. Still recovering from his second ACL surgery in two years, Bradford is resistant to the idea of signing a contract extension in Cleveland, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
Should Bradford end up on the shores of Lake Erie, the Eagles are expected to package the Browns' first-round pick with available veterans such as Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks in an attempt to move up to the Titans' No. 2 spot for Mariota.
Browns coach Mike Pettine acknowledged to NFL Media's Andrea Kremer that opinions are mixed on Mariota inside team headquarters.
Bradford represents a cheaper alternative, as the cost would presumably be just one of those picks. General manager Ray Farmer isn't lending any insight either way.
"I never kiss and tell," Farmer told Kremer. "There is no commentary from me on either side of the fence of if there's been conversations or haven't been conversations. The reality is that there's a lot of people throwing things against the wall that will either show that they stick later on or show that they won't stick at all."
NFL Media's Charley Casserly reported last month that the Browns had offered a first-round pick for Bradford, only to watch the Rams flip their quarterback to the Eagles instead.
We have reached the height of silly season, just hours from the start of the 2015 NFL Draft. It's one thing for phone calls to be placed and scenarios to be plotted out. It's quite another for all of the pieces to fall into place, igniting multiple blockbuster trades.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast previews the 2015 NFL Draft and breaks down the biggest rumors and storylines. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
