While I was shooting around at a local basketball court this morning, I had my radio tuned in to Aaron Goldhammer on WKNR 850. On a Saturday morning amidst the lockout in the NFL, the last thing I expected to hear was supposed "news" about the Cleveland Browns. For almost a half hour of the show, the discussion revolved around a "real, credible rumor" that involved the Browns being interested in trading the first round pick they acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb.
I laughed. But, my curiosity level was still high. If this was a rumor reported by someone like Adam Schefter or Jay Glazer, I might have started to get a little nervous. After awhile, I found out that the "credible rumor" came from the National Football Post's Michael Lombardi. I laughed some more. (Note: initial DBN reaction can be found in this FanShot.)
When I read the actual article, I don't know why the rumor even gained any traction because it was never a rumor to begin with. Instead, it was just Lombardi's rinse-and-repeat hatred toward Colt McCoy as a potential starting quarterback in the NFL:
"I'm going to go Cleveland," he said of where he thinks Kolb will ultimately end up. "I'm not buying the Colt McCoy love affair going on in Cleveland. I don't know how you can have the love affair. I think with the extra pick they got from Atlanta that first rounder is going to be hard to beat them in a poker game. I think it's a smart move for them it fits what they want to do offensively."
I have never understood why the hype has been so high for Kolb. Sure, he still sounds like an interesting prospect that I could see a team shelling out a second-round pick for at most. How in the world has he proven to be worth a first-round pick though? I thought his stock would be down after his disappointing season with the Eagles last year. And, if the Browns decide McCoy isn't the answer after this season, they quite possibly could have the ammunition to trade up for Andrew Luck in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Just to be sure the "rumor that was really an opinion" did not have any traction, the Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot tweeted this earlier today:
Browns won't pursue Eagles QB Kevin Kolb, league source tells Plain Dealer.
And that's that. How many times does the Browns front office and coaching staff have to advocate McCoy before Lombardi stops believing Cleveland is a contender for Kolb?