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Yesterday the Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine was asked if his team would be interested in trading up to get Marcus Mariota in this draft. He replies, with a big grin per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, "Sure, why not?" I like Pettine's approach here. No one is going to believe what he says anyway, so he might as well just feed the machine. Ray Farmer, the Browns GM, was asked the same question today and responded the same way, again according to Cleveland.com.
If the Titans can't get Philip Rivers and the 17th pick from the San Diego Chargers, then the Browns are the team that I hope they make a deal with. Cleveland is one of two teams, the Saints being the other, that hold two first round picks in next week's draft (pick #12 and pick #19 for the Browns). The Titans would require both of those picks plus some for the Browns to move up to #2. That is a good way to build the foundation of your team.
Now, let me say this for the record, if the Titans are confident that Mariota is a franchise quarterback and can be successful in Ken Whisenhunt's system, they should absolutely keep the pick and take the Oregon quarterback...even over trading for Rivers. That is the decision they have to make and one that will determine if they are a basement franchise for the next 3-5 years or one that is relevant.
