Bengals trade A.J. McCarron to the Browns for second-round pick
Trading a potential franchise quarterback within the division seems to be a bit absurd. That’s until we realize it looks like Cincinnati is all aboard the Andy Dalton train. If so, the team would be smart to get something for McCarron before he leaves as a free agent next March.
This has been bandied about as a possibility, and it does make some sense. Cleveland boasts the most draft capital in next week’s event. It also has a need a quarterback, which likely won’t be addressed with the first pick. Instead of sitting back at 12 and hoping a top-end signal caller in a weak class at that position falls on to their laps, the Browns should remain proactive on the veteran trade market.
In this scenario, Cleveland moves the second of its two second-round picks (52nd overall) to nab a quarterback that could start immediately and might very well boast more upside than any signal caller it could get with that pick.
For the Bengals, this would be a no-brainer. If they are able to turn McCarron into a top-60 pick, it’s something the team would have to do immediately. This specific trade might not happen until the second day of the draft, but it really does make a lot of sense.