Kapitel 107: Professional Disruption
"Quarterback, of course. The quarterback is the foundation of building a football team."
"That's true, but my question is, are we going to tear everything down and rebuild again? We just did that two years ago, and now we're going to do it again? Are we really going to start over with a new quarterback? Then what was the point of all our moves in free agency during the offseason?"
"Jesus Christ, you know perfectly well that all those quarterbacks on the team right now are just temporary. We need our own franchise quarterback."
"And who says one of them can't be our franchise quarterback? Drew Brees was a castoff from the San Diego Chargers before he became the savior of the New Orleans Saints. I think we should give Griffin another chance."
"Give Griffin another chance? Easy for you to say, as if we haven't already. So, if we don't draft a quarterback, what do you suggest? A wide receiver?"
"I don't know, maybe an offensive lineman? Our quarterbacks need a solid pocket. Or perhaps a cornerback..."
"Cornerback? Are you out of your mind? Nobody drafts a cornerback in the top three rounds!"
Sashi Brown, Vice President and General Manager of the Cleveland Browns, sat quietly at the center of the chaos in his office. He knew exactly what kind of mess the team was in.
Earlier this offseason, the Cleveland Browns became the laughingstock of the league for the thousandth time—this time over their quarterback situation.
Two years ago, during the draft, the quarterback pool was slim. There weren't many standout prospects, but Texas A&M's quarterback Johnny Manziel stood out as a singular talent. Many experts believed he had top-three potential, if not the chance to go first overall.
After all, Manziel was the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy. A quarterback like him was sure to be a hot commodity.
However!
As the draft unfolded, to everyone's shock, Manziel's name wasn't called early. Teams in need of a quarterback seemed to be avoiding him as if he were cursed. Rumors, gossip, and speculation swirled around as Manziel's stock plummeted.
Under the intense spotlight, Manziel's draft position kept falling until the 22nd pick in the first round, where the Cleveland Browns, who had traded for that slot, finally called his name. The agonizing wait was over.
When Manziel stepped on stage, he made his signature touchdown celebration gesture—rubbing his fingers together, as if counting money.
Manziel explained that every touchdown he scored would increase his value. At the draft, it came off as a taunt toward the teams that passed on him.
The public thought: "The drama's about to start!"
Including Sashi Brown, nearly everyone believed Manziel would be the savior of the Cleveland Browns, leading them out of the doldrums.
But how did reality play out?
Manziel struggled badly in the NFL. Unlike in college, the complex playbooks and tactical nuances of the NFL became Manziel's downfall.
He couldn't remember the plays, let alone command the offense.
This led to the infamous GIF of Manziel banging a playbook against his head in frustration, angry and hopeless, yet utterly helpless.
Teams that passed on Manziel at the draft collectively sighed with relief: "Dodged a bullet."
Two seasons passed quickly, and Manziel didn't become the savior the Browns had hoped for. This offseason, he was cut, losing his job. Despite his attempts to land with another team, spending the entire summer on tryouts, he found no takers.
In a twist of irony, Manziel finally signed with a team in the Canadian Football League, where the level of competition and complexity of tactics are somewhat lower. Yet even there, he couldn't find success. The intricate playbooks haunted him like a nightmare.
Manziel became a classic example that football is not just about physical prowess; it's a mental game as well.
The Browns thought Manziel was their future, but it turned into a joke, wasting two seasons of effort. After parting ways with him this offseason, the Browns turned to the free agency market instead of the draft to find their next quarterback.
Robert Griffin III, plagued by injuries and discarded by the Washington Redskins, found a new home in Cleveland.
Journeyman Josh McCown, who had played for ten different teams over 15 seasons, also landed in Cleveland, hoping for a fresh start.
Additionally, undrafted rookie Kevin Hogan from the previous year and third-round rookie Cody Kessler from this year joined the Browns' quarterback room.
These four quarterbacks, hastily patched together, formed the Browns' signal-caller lineup for the new season.
And the result? A nine-game losing streak, with no end in sight.
So while other teams fought tooth and nail for playoff spots, the Cleveland Browns were far ahead in preparing their draft strategy.
Leading the race.
Quarterback?
Sure, they were the cornerstone of any team, but the Browns had tried drafting quarterbacks multiple times over the past 15 years, with each attempt ending in failure. They had just rid themselves of the Manziel fiasco this offseason. Were they really ready to gamble on a quarterback in another weak draft class?
Defense?
That made sense too. Compared to offensive players, defensive players tend to come at better value, and bolstering the defense could help the Browns stabilize quickly. After all, they had no real identity, and both offense and defense were dreadful. Rebuilding the defense first wouldn't be a bad choice.
Plus, this year's draft class was known for having a wealth of defensive talent.
However, Sashi Brown had a bolder idea.
"What if we stirred things up a bit?"
All eyes turned to Brown. "Sashi, what do you mean?" someone asked.
Brown shrugged.
"You're all right. We need to rebuild; there are holes everywhere. You make valid points, but we can't please everyone."
"So why don't we take a step back, change our strategy, and create some buzz? Shake things up completely. Get the fans excited about our presence again. It doesn't matter how the team performs; at least we can get the market buzzing again. Give the fans hope, even if it's false hope."
"Whoever is the most talked-about, the most popular player, that's who we'll draft."
The room remained puzzled. No one could quite grasp where Brown was headed.
But someone finally asked the obvious, "So, what exactly are you proposing?"
Brown smiled and said just one name: "Lance."
Who said there were only two draft strategies? The Cleveland Browns, in their unique way, had found a third strategy:
Disruption.
Complete, total, and unapologetic chaos. A move that would shock the entire league and throw everything into disarray.
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