The NFL’s trade deadline came and went at 4:00 p.m. ET with the Cleveland Browns still searching for answers at quarterback. Rookie DeShone Kizer will likely finish the season out as the starter, or maybe they’ll go back to Cody Kessler or Kevin Hogan. It really doesn’t seem to matter at this point.
While plenty of other teams were wheeling and dealing on Monday and Tuesday in one of the more active NFL trade deadlines in recent memory, the Browns stayed put, but not for a lack of effort. While the 49ers landed Jimmy Garappolo, the Browns were busy working their divisional rival and fellow Ohioans in the Bengals for their backup quarterback.
Cleveland and Cincinnati agreed to terms on a deal to send A.J. McCarron to the Browns. According to Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Browns were sending the Bengals a 2018 second and third round pick for the quarterback. There was just one problem. The agreement, which reportedly came together at 3:55 p.m. ET, wasn’t called into the league office by Cleveland, and thus, the trade never went through.
Bengals and Browns actually agreed to AJ McCarron trade at 3:55 pm, per source involved. Bengals approved trade to NFL, Browns did not.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2017
The Browns petitioned the league to let the trade go through, but the league denied their request and McCarron will remain with the Bengals.
Browns disputed proposed AJ McCarron trade to NFL, arguing it should be allowed, per source. NFL declined – no trade, officially, per source
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2017
So, what happened? The Bengals made the call, but the Browns didn’t because, according to ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi, they forgot while celebrating the trade.
Grossi: It seems like the #Browns forgot or just didn't call in the trade to the NFL in time.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 31, 2017
Grossi says that apparently the Browns were celebrating their trade and forgot to call in the deal before the deadline…
— Aaron Goldhammer (@HammerNation19) October 31, 2017
The image of the entire Cleveland front office hi-fiving and celebrating trading for A.J. McCarron, while failing to call it into the league office is absolutely hilarious, and also the most Browns thing possible. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the trade fell apart due to a disconnect between the personnel staff and the coaching staff about McCarron, thus the delay and the Browns never calling in the trade. While that’s more believable than them celebrating and forgetting, it’s way more fun to believe the latter. Cleveland is also the only organization where you would believe they’d forget to call in a trade, causing it to fall through.
The organization’s ability to find ways to fail in every way possible and do so in new and creative ways is almost admirable. They don’t just suck, they do so flamboyantly and in an ever-changing manner. As a Browns fan, I’ve come to enjoy this aspect of the Cleveland organization, because at least they keep things entertaining and a little bit new. If you can’t learn to laugh at the incredible levels of ineptitude, you’ll go insane.
