For Browns, Bradford the ticket to relevance

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By Sean McClelland, Staff Writer 10:51 PM Tuesday, March 30, 2010

You are Cleveland Browns President Mike Holmgren and you need a quarterback. You’re trying to sell an aging Jake Delhomme, but your fans are yawning. Seneca Wallace? Please.

It’s not too late to make a splash, you tell yourself. Not too late, maybe, to send a few of your 12 draft picks and maybe a player or two to the St. Louis Rams for the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft.

You would select Oklahoma University quarterback Sam Bradford, who impressed you so much during a workout this week that you have announced plans to bring him in for a face-to-face meeting.

Yes, the Browns will draft a quarterback, Holmgren has said. But there’s no sense waiting around for Colt McCoy or, heaven forbid, Tim Tebow. Those guys are ticketed for the third round for a reason. Too many questions about them. And forget Jimmy Clausen. No way the Browns take another Notre Dame quarterback in the first round.

Bradford has that “franchise” look. NFL scouting guru Gil Brandt likens him to Troy Aikman. So fans of this moribund franchise can only hope Holmgren realizes a bold move is in order — not to sell tickets (although it couldn’t hurt), but to secure the team’s future.

The Browns barely register on the NFL excitement meter these days. Shooting up the draft board to take Bradford could be their ticket to relevance.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2408 or smcclelland@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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