Chapter 108 107 Professional Troublemaker
"Quarterback, of course it's the quarterback. The quarterback is the cornerstone of building a football team."
"That's obviously true, but my issue is, are we ready to overhaul and rebuild again? It was just two years ago that we last did this, and now another one? Are we ready to start from scratch with a brand-new quarterback? Then what was the point of our moves in the free agency during the offseason?"
"Jesus Christ, you should understand that all the quarterbacks in the team right now are transitional. We need our own cornerstone quarterback."
"Who's to say they can't become our cornerstone quarterback? Drew Brees's transfer from San Diego Chargers to the New Orleans Saints was a godsend. I think we should continue to give Griffin a chance."
"Giving Griffin more chances, you say that as though we haven't given him any, yet if we're not choosing a quarterback, what do you think we should pick? A wide receiver?"
"I don't know, maybe the offensive line? Our quarterback needs a solid pocket to protect him. Or perhaps a cornerback..."
"A cornerback? What are you saying, a cornerback? Are you out of your mind? No one uses a top three round pick on a cornerback!"
Sashi Brown, the Vice President and General Manager of the Cleveland Browns.
At this moment, he was also sitting at the epicenter of the office debacle without intervening, fully aware of the mess in front of him.
During this offseason, the Cleveland Browns became the laughingstock of the league, for the thousand and first time—
And this time, it was because of the quarterback.
Two years ago at the draft, it was a lean year for quarterbacks, with very few noteworthy quarterbacks available; Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M, having authored numerous miracles, was considered a standout with potential for a top-three pick, even possibly the top overall.
After all, Manziel was the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy, such a quarterback entering the league was definitely a hot commodity.
However,
when the draft began, to everyone's surprise, Manziel's name was not called early on. Teams that needed a quarterback all avoided Manziel like a plague, with all sorts of theories, speculations, and gossip flying around, making the scene extremely lively.
Under immense scrutiny, Manziel's draft stock plummeted until the twenty-second pick of the first round; it was the Cleveland Browns, having completed a trade for that draft spot, who finally called Manziel's name, ending the excruciating embarrassment.
At that moment, Manziel took the stage and performed his signature touchdown celebration—
Finger-twirling money counting.
Manziel said that this gesture meant every touchdown would increase his value; however, seen in the context of the draft, it carried a flavor of taunting the other teams.
The onlookers reacted: Here comes the drama!
Sashi Brown included, nearly everyone believed Manziel would become the savior for the Cleveland Browns, pulling the team out of the mire.
So, what was the reality?
Manziel had a severe mismatch with professional events, and unlike the NCAA, the NFL's intricate playbook became the straw that broke Manziel's back—
Manziel couldn't remember the plays, let alone lead the offense.
Thus, a famous GIF emerged: Manziel, hitting his own head with the playbook, his face filled with anger and despair, yet utterly powerless.
The teams that desperately needed a quarterback but passed on Manziel expressed: Dodged a bullet.
Two seasons flew by, Manziel couldn't become the savior for the Cleveland Browns, and he was laid off during this offseason; although he tried to sign with other teams all summer long, going everywhere for tryouts, he still couldn't land on a team by the end.
Even more absurdly, Manziel finally headed to the Canadian American Football League to find a job. There, the level of competitive intensity and tactical complexity was less demanding; yet, Manziel still couldn't find a way out, with the dazzling playbook continuing to be a nightmare for this young man.
Manziel is a typical case, proving that football is not just about physical clashes but also a collision of minds.
The Cleveland Browns thought Manziel was the future cornerstone of the team, only to end up turning it into a farce, wasting yet another two seasons; this offseason, after parting ways with Manziel, the Cleveland Browns gave up on finding a quarterback through the draft and turned their attention to the free market.
Robert Griffin III, after being plagued by injuries and discarded by the Washington Redskins, arrived in Cleveland.
Josh McCown, a wandering veteran who had been on ten teams in fifteen seasons in the league, also temporarily settled his footsteps in Cleveland.
In addition, last year's undrafted player Kevin Hogan and this year's third-round pick by the Cleveland Browns, Cody Kessler.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
These four players were haphazardly put together to form the quarterback lineup for the new season of the Cleveland Browns—
As for the results, well, nine consecutive losses and still counting.
So.
While other teams were fighting tooth and nail for a spot in the playoffs, the Cleveland Browns were already far ahead in formulating their draft strategies.
Outshining the rest.
Quarterback? Your next chapter is on empire
Of course, that is the cornerstone of the team, but the problem is, in the past fifteen years, the Cleveland Browns have tried too many times and failed each time; and they had just shaken off the burden of Manziel this offseason. Are they really prepared to take a risk on a small year for quarterbacks?
Defense?
This makes sense too, compared to the premium level of offensive group players, defensive group players seem much more economically viable and could perhaps help the Cleveland Browns quickly stabilize their footing, considering they don't really have a tradition to uphold, and their offense is just as bad as their defense, starting the rebuild with defense might be an option.
Moreover, it is widely believed that this year is a big year for defense, with many excellent defensive stalwarts about to join the league.
But Sashi Brown had an even bolder idea.
"How about we make some splashes?" Brown opened, drawing everyone's attention. Someone asked, "Sashi, what do you mean?"
Brown shrugged.
"You're all right. We need to rebuild the team, there are problems everywhere, you have your reasons, he has his rationale, and we can't please everyone."
"So, why don't we step back, switch strategies, and make some splashes to completely shake things up and make fans take notice of us again. Regardless of how the team performs, at least we can rejuvenate our spectator market and give fans a glimpse of hope, even if it's false hope."
"Whoever is the most talked about, whoever is the most popular, we choose them."
Around him, confusion still reigned; no one was able to follow Brown's train of thought.
But finally, someone asked outright, "So, what do you plan to do?"
Brown flashed a smile and uttered a key word, "Li Wei."
Who says there are only two strategies in drafting? The Cleveland Browns decidedly carve out a third route—
Being disruptive.
Thoroughly, completely, selflessly... Go crazy and with one ground-breaking move, disrupt all conventions.