Even if the Cleveland Browns use the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback in April, head coach Hue Jackson is very much against having that young man play in Week 1 of the 2018 season.
Speaking to reporters Thursday morning at the combine, Jackson elaborated, saying he wants Cleveland to secure a veteran who can be a bridge.
“Would we have to [start a quarterback drafted at No. 1 overall right away]? I would hope not,” Jackson said at the Indiana Convention Center, per Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. “I would hope there’s other things. There are going to be other opportunities. We have free agency right upon us.”
Per Ulrich, Jackson does not have any interest in even allowing a rookie to be a part of the quarterback competition in training camp. Based on how things went last year with DeShone Kizer, it’s easy to understand why.
One player the Browns will almost certainly consider bringing in to be a bridge is former Jackson pupil AJ McCarron. Of course, being that Cleveland has more cap space than any team in the league, at well over $100 million, the franchise has the means to bring in any quarterback who is willing to join.
It’s been reported that the Browns are not currently enamored with any of the rookie quarterbacks about to enter the league.
However, we’ve also heard that Cleveland could easily take Josh Allen No. 1 overall. Since he’s most definitely a project at this time, due to mechanics and accuracy issues, landing a veteran free agent to hold down the fort for a year or two makes a ton of sense.