We’ve talked about the Cleveland Browns offseason plans, and we’ve talked about a fair amount about African-American franchise quarterbacks. But could we finally be on the brink of the two paths finally intersecting?
Reports trickled out this weekend that Browns head coach Hue Jackson and the team had a productive meeting with Robert Griffin III; this after the team had been rumored to be a potential trade partner for the San Francisco 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick, as Kaepernick supposedly has healthy respect for Jackson. Kaep and the Browns have apparently cooled on one another, but the Brownies are rumored to be the “leader in the clubhouse” amongst those interested in the services of the former Redskins signal-caller.
If the Browns do land Griffin (I’m buying stock in RG3 for what it’s worth), it could significantly impact their draft plans. With the number two overall selection, Cleveland is expected to choose their quarterback of the future (either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz— I’m in the Goff camp), which would be the Browns first QB picked in the top 10 of the first round since Tim Couch in 1999. But the appearance of Griffin could alter those plans.
Do the Browns want to intentionally start another quarterback controversy by bringing in a free agent of RG3’s pedigree to compete with a rookie for the starting job? After riding the trajectory of a shooting star in Washington, we can be sure Griffin isn’t looking to ride the pine like he did all of 2015. The possibility also looms the Browns could ink Griffin, spend their high pick on the best player available, then draft a developmental player later in the draft. But that would mean giving the keys to Robert Griffin, which raises an interesting point.
Never in the entire history of this 70-year-old franchise have they ever given the keys to the franchise to a black quarterback. Black QBs have been under center in Cleveland before (Spergon Wynn, Seneca Wallace, Jason Campbell, most recently Thad Lewis), but they’ve never been empowered to steer the organization into the future like Graham, Plum, Ryan, Phipps, Sipe, Kosar and Couch.
Given the subject of this column, a caption contest may be in order here.
Is racism within the organization or the fan base a reason for this? There’s no way to know for sure. What is unmistakable though is a new regime has seized control of the 216.
Hue Jackson, an African-American coach, has brought in an African-American offensive coordinator (Pep Hamilton), defensive coordinator (Ray Horton) and running backs coach (Kirby Wilson). Since the end of last season, the organization has brought in black front office men Sashi Brown and Andrew Berry as their VPs of Football Operations and Player Personnel respectively. They also announced in February the greatest living Brown, Jim Brown (whose blackness runs deeper than the waters of Lake Erie), would be having a statue of his likeness erected outside of FirstEnergy Stadium.
How many other teams have a black head coach, OC, DC, VP of football operations and VP of player personnel? The Browns have quietly turned into the NFL’s Harlem Globetrotters, minus all the fun times and winning. For this tongue-in-cheek analogy to actually have some sort of merit, the Browns will need to get blacker on the field, specifically at quarterback. If there was ever an offseason to do it, this would be the year, whether the keys are handed to Kaep, Griffin, or former Glenville Tarblooder Cardale Jones via the draft.
If they don’t land RG3 or 12 Gauge, at least the Browns can change their official fight song to an antiquated yet apropos Negro Spiritual:
“We shall overcome, someday……….”