Browns quarterback options dwindling, Matt Flynn or Ryan Tannehill?

If the Cleveland Browns are truly looking to replace Colt McCoy as starting quarterback the options are thinning rather rapidly. After losing out in the Robert Griffin III lottery along with speculation of Peyton Manning going to the Denver Broncos or Arizona Cardinals, the Browns must look elsewhere--possibly Matt Flynn or Ryan Tannehill.

Aside from Manning, Flynn is considered by many sports analysts to be the frontrunner of available quarterbacks entering free agency, while Tannehill once considered a low first round pick in the up-coming NFL Draft has risen rapidly and will likely be picked much sooner. The question facing the Browns brain trust is what they are willing to pay if they are set on replacing or adding competition for McCoy.

The up-side to Flynn regarding the Browns is simple. Flynn has spent the last four years as backup to Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers much heralded quarterback--an elite quarterback that Flynn has had the opportunity to sit and watch, hopefully benefiting from it. Another strong point in Flynns' favor is his familiarity with a version of the West Coast Offense ran by the Packers, since the Browns run a similar offense he is considered somewhat of a "plug and play" quarterback--ready to step in immediately.

As with anything there is always what many consider the downside. Flynn, in his four year career has only started two games, although these outings were somewhat impressive and considering he was surrounded by a very potent offense, are these outings a true reflection of his ability? If Flynn does come to Cleveland he will be commanding an offense that many have considered "dysfunctional" at numerous levels--a sharp contrast to his previous gig.

The Cost? It has been reported that Flynn will come at a very steep price, possibly as high as $40 million for a multi-year contract. After playing two games as a back-up this price tag seems a bit high for an un-proven commodity who will be entering a much different situation in Cleveland than he had in Green Bay.


Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M quarterback is another that could be on the Browns radar. Considered to have a very strong arm he is also comfortable executing play-action from under center. One of the most notable strong points about Tannehill is his throwing accuracy while running either left or right and is very effective on bootlegs and roll-outs. Although he is considered to be very accurate on short and intermediate passes his deep throws are usually under-thrown--possibly due to his mechanics.

The major "knocks" on Tannehill are his decision making and intangibles. While he is effective in the early portion of the game he does show a tendency to become less effective as the game wears on. He tends to start making mistakes and locking onto his receivers and has been known to throw blind, forcing the ball into coverage. He also needs to learn to throw the ball away--he has on numerous occasions, while under pressure made throws that make you wonder what he was thinking or why wasn't he.

Tannehill can be considered a project quarterback, a talented athlete with a lot of upside, however if he does climb into the top ten of the draft--does one spend their most valuable pick on a project?

The case with Flynn is investment and return. At the high price expected to grab Flynn, does two starts in four years warrant such an expense for an un-proven commodity?

Your Thoughts?

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