Cleveland Browns Rumors: No Trade Offer For AJ McCarron

AJ McCarron has been tied to the Cleveland Browns as a potential trade target, but in reality, the Bengals haven’t received any offers.

AJ McCarron is a natural target for the media and fans to attach to the Browns. His former offensive coordinator, Hue Jackson, is the Cleveland Browns head coach. The Browns are starving for help at quarterback. McCarron seems like a natural fit.

If the Browns and Bengals do pull off a trade, it would be the first of its kind, as the two franchises have never traded with each other through their histories.

One would think Jackson might ask his front office to check in on McCarron, but that doesn’t appear to be the case, as Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis said a trade hasn’t been been offered from any team, via Cleveland.com.

"“No one has asked to trade him. We’re not going to go out and seek a trade for AJ McCarron. Any interest that way would be evaluated based on the other interested team.”"

At the NFL’s Annual Meetings, a reporter asked Lewis about receiving the 12 pick. He responded by joking that the No. 1 pick was nice, too.

There’s a lot to like about McCarron, but the Browns would be crazy to offer the No. 12 overall pick for the former fifth-round pick.

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Of course Mike Brown would be reluctant to deliver a franchise quarterback to the Browns, but he’d be crazy not to do it for a first round pick. Brown isn’t a fool. Offer him something that’s too good to pass up, and he’ll deal. Remember how his feud with Carson Palmer played out?

But the Browns…it’s alarming some in Cleveland want to part with the 12th pick for unproven backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. To consider doing the same for McCarron is asinine.

McCarron’s started three games since entering the league in 2014. He’s thrown passes in seven total. He’s most remembered for filling in for Andy Dalton during the 2015 AFC Divisional Playoff round and almost leading the Bengals to victory. He’s a career 66.4 percent passes, and has thrown six touchdowns against two interceptions.

In that memorable playoff game, McCarron was an OK game manager. He was 23 of 41 for 212 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He should’ve led the Bengals, but circumstances out of his control tilted the scales in the Steelers favor.

Perhaps the Browns are waiting to see how the Garoppolo situations plays out. New England has yet to offer a definitive answer on his future.

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McCarron can be a free agent after the 2017 season.

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