Report: Before Tyrod Taylor, Browns offered No. 35 overall pick for Nick Foles

Tuesday evening, Mike Silver of the NFL Network broke the story that just before the start of the new league year in March, the Cleveland Browns offered the No. 35 overall pick of the draft to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for QB Nick Foles.

Citing three sources familiar with the talks, Silver says that the Eagles “ran the scenario by Foles, but he preferred to remain in Philly.” The Eagles declined the trade, leading Cleveland to make a deal with the Buffalo Bills for QB Tyrod Taylor. That trade only required a third-round pick.

Either way, the Browns were likely poised to select QB Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick of the draft. So, in hindsight, is it better to give up No. 35 overall for Foles as a 1- to 2-year rental, or No. 65 overall for Taylor? Getting Foles also would have required a higher price tag than what the 49ers paid for QB Jimmy Garappolo.

The timing of the report is an unusual one. Why now? Pro Football Talk threw out the speculation that it’s another case of head coach Hue Jackson leaking information to his buddy: