The Cleveland Browns are determined to explore every opportunity during the new regime’s quest to solve the franchise’s quarterback quandary.
So the team hosted free agent Robert Griffin III on Saturday at its headquarters in Berea, Ohio, a source familiar with the situation confirmed for the Beacon Journal.
The rendezvous was viewed as due diligence by the Browns. Griffin left Northeast Ohio on Saturday evening without a contract.
Griffin, the second overall pick in the 2012 draft who led the Washington Redskins to the playoffs as a rookie and later fizzled after injuries interfered with his career, spent time with head of football operations Sashi Brown, coach Hue Jackson, associate head coach-offense Pep Hamilton and vice president of player personnel Andrew Berry during the visit.
The Browns cut problem child Johnny Manziel on March 11 and have yet to secure their quarterback of the future. They have veteran Josh McCown, 36, but he’s considered a placeholder at best.
The organization will probably draft a quarterback — California’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz — second overall April 28, especially if it doesn’t acquire a reclamation project like Griffin or Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers. The Browns expressed interest in trading for Kaepernick, but those talks have stalled, and the Denver Broncos are also in the mix for his services.
Jackson, Hamilton and Berry were front and center for Goff’s pro day workout Friday in Berkeley, Calif. They’re expected to attend Wentz’s pro day in full force Thursday at the Fargodome.
But when they’re not scouting the top-ranked quarterbacks in this year’s draft, the Browns have obviously been spending some time kicking the tires on other options.
Griffin suffered a concussion in a preseason game last summer, lost the starting job to Kirk Cousins and didn’t take a snap this past season. He was cut on March 7 after attempts to trade him failed.
But Griffin is only 26, so he’ll receive an opportunity to revive his career somewhere. He won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors but hasn’t been the same since suffering torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee during a playoff loss Jan. 6, 2013.
Griffin has completed 63.9 percent of his career passes with 40 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and a passer rating of 90.6. He has rushed for 1,480 yards and eight touchdowns.
The former Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor University has a career record of 14-22, including one postseason game. He went 9-7, including playoffs, in 2012. He went 3-10 in 2013 and 2-5 in 2014.
The Browns aren’t the only team interested in Griffin. He visited the New York Jets last week.
And this isn’t the first time the Browns have flirted with Griffin.
When they were led by former president Mike Holmgren, they attempted to trade up in the draft for the No. 2 overall pick and the right to select Griffin. But the St. Louis Rams dealt the selection to Washington instead.
It remains to be seen whether Griffin will end up in Cleveland four years later.
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