So, now the Rams have stuck it to the Browns twice in the NFL Draft in regards to quarterbacks, passing on them the first time and then passing over them the next, as it were, huh?

 

Yup.

 

In 2012, when they were still in St. Louis playing a poor second-fiddle to the Cardinals, the Rams, who had the No. 2 overall pick, decided to trade with Washington instead of the Browns. Thus, instead of Cleveland getting Robert Griffin III, the Redskins took him.

 

Then this year – on Thursday morning, actually – the Rams, now in Los Angeles as the league’s new move-ins, made a deal with Tennessee to get the Titans’ No. 1 overall pick and thus leapfrog the Browns, who have No. 2. The Rams will use the choice to select one of two quarterbacks, Jared Goff of Cal or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, both of whom are on Cleveland’s radar as well.

 

In the next millisecond after the trade was announced, the hue and cry began from some folks who like to scarf up everything the buffet table instead of picking one great item off the menu. They want the Browns to trade down so as to collect more picks.

 

So, then, if the Browns do that, just where are they supposed to get their franchise quarterback?

 

Hmmmm?

 

Through the Sears mail-order catalog?

 

The Home Shopping Network?

 

Goodwill?

 

As a prize on “Wheel of Fortune?”

 

Hitchhiking along I-77 in Tuscarawas County?

 

In a box of Cracker Jack?

 

In the collection plate at church?

 

In the Powerball lottery?

 

As Donald Trump’s press secretary?

 

Pitching for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers?

 

As a stunt double for Arnold Schwarzenegger?

 

By asking Siri?

 

As Bill Gates’ accountant?

 

On the men’s basketball team at Middle Tennessee State?

 

Going down the water slide at Great Wolf Lodge?

 

The man fighting bad guys on the roof of that building when his mother calls?

 

By evaluating the male descendants of Otto Graham on ancestry.com?

 

In the produce section at Giant Eagle?

 

Subbing as the FOX 8 weatherman when Dick Goddard is on vacation?

 

Polishing Doug Dieken’s car?

 

Wiping the sweat from Ray Farmer’s head?

 

At a Jim Harbaugh satellite camp?

 

Masquerading as Jake from State Farm?

 

Competing on “The Voice?”

 

Waiting to become the next president at the University of Akron?

 

From among the hosts fired by 92.3 The Fan?

 

As Joe Banner’s smile coach?

 

David Blatt?

 

Charlie Frye’s nephew?

 

Filling potholes on the Akron expressway system?

 

The want ads?

 

Where? Just where is this guy supposed to come from?

 

The trade-down proponents say, “Just get a quarterback later in the draft,” as if we’re grabbing cans of soup off the shelf at the grocery store and one is just as good as another.

 

Aaaarrrrrggggghhhh!!!!!!!

 

Double-aaaarrrrrggggghhhh!!!!!!!

 

We’re going to say this yet again, for seemingly the billionth time: The Browns are not going to go anywhere – anywhere! – until they get a quarterback, and your chances of finding one at No. 2 – especially when the two guys we mentioned are rated by almost everybody as being light years ahead of the rest of the pack – are a whole heckuva lot better than getting him at No. 16, No. 27, in the middle of the second round, at the end of the fourth round, as a street free agent or from the cast of a production on Playhouse Square.

 

I know that’s hard for some people to wrap their head around, but, as Bill Murray said in “Stripes” so eloquently, “That’s a fact, Jack!”

 

Indeed, it is no more complicated than that. Really. Honestly. Truly.

 

Because Goff and Wentz appear to be rated so evenly overall, the Browns  are guaranteed of getting a pretty good prospect at quarterback.

 

So, as we’ve said before, the Browns need to put on their big-boy pants, dig in their heels, take a deep breath, work up the courage, stay at No. 2 and take a quarterback.

 

To do anything else would serve only to delay the start – the real start – of this total rebuilding project even longer.

 

And hasn’t it been long enough already?

 

*

 

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR:  Because of their struggles in opening at home in the expansion era, the Browns have asked in recent years to begin the regular season on the road. And indeed, the Browns will open on the road for the third straight season when they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles on Sept. 11 as the NFL announced its full schedule on Thursday night. But the league gave the Browns a heaping dose of road games this time as they have three of their first four, and five of their first seven, away from home. Included in that is a trip for Robert Griffin III to Washington to face the Redskins on Oct. 2. … The Browns finish the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers yet again, this time at Heinz Field, on Jan. 1. … Pittsburgh visits Cleveland on Nov. 20, which will be the first of three consecutive home games for the Browns sandwiched around a bye on Dec. 4. . … In addition to playing on New Year’s Day, the Browns will take the field on Christmas Eve when the San Diego Chargers visit on Dec. 24. … Browns head coach Hue Jackson returns to Cincinnati on Oct. 23 to face the Bengals. … The Browns get their national TV exposure – the only one – when they play at the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 10 on Thursday Night Football. … Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots come to town on Oct. 9. … The Browns host both of the New York teams in a month, the Jets on Oct. 30 and the Giants on Nov. 27.