And so it begins...
After months of rumors and nonstop speculation, this appears to be the starting point for a move that could be a very significant. The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot is relaying a report by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Cleveland Browns are among three teams that have had preliminary talks with the St. Louis Rams about trading up to the No. 2 pick.
The Browns are one of three top 10 teams that have had "very preliminary talks'' with the Rams about trading up for the No. 2 pick to draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday night.
UPDATE: The Washington Post is reporting, per a league source, that the Washington Redskins are willing to trade two first round picks, including this year's No. 6 pick and their 2013 first round pick. Read that report here.
This doesn't mean that the Browns are definitely going to land the pick. It doesn't even mean with any certainty that the Browns are willing to invest what it takes to move up. What it does mean is that the Browns are, at the very least, covering all their bases. It may also dispel the notion that the Browns' front office is completely uninterested or clueless as to how to proceed with regards to Robert Griffin III, which was an actual rumor that I was surprised to see suggested.
Mary Kay Cabot continues:
The Browns have the No. 4 and No. 22 picks in the first round.
The other two teams in the top 10 are Washington at No. 6 and Miami at No. 8.
No offers have been made, and some of the teams might be out of the running if they sign a quarterback in free agency. The Dolphins might pursue Green Bay back up Matt Flynn in free agency or a trade if he's franchised and the Redskins and Dolphins might also have interest in Peyton Manning.
As far as the steps it will take to eventually get a deal done for the No. 2 pick, the Browns' front office is where they need to be. They're not feigning disinterest or bending over backwards at this point. They're beginning to talk with the Rams and gathering the sort of information that may ultimately result in a deal or may not.