Leave it to the Browns to fumble the AJ McCarron trade.
Then again, we don't know who to blame - the Bengals or Browns - for why the deal went right down to the 4 p.m. deadline Thursday.
All we know, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, is that the Bengals confirmed the deal with the NFL at 3:55 and the Browns did not. The Browns then appealed to the NFL to allow the trade, but that's like asking the game officials to put a few more minutes on the clock when you're knocking on the goal line.
The NFL said no.
And now it's a lose-lose situation for both teams. McCarron, as good a backup QB as there is, will say goodbye to the Bengals in free agency next year in search of a starting job - assuming he wins his dispute with the team over service time.
We don't know what the Browns offered for McCarron in terms of draft picks - some reports say second- and third-round picks. If so, that would have been a huge haul for the fifth-round pick in 2014.
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
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
NFL rejected Browns request to overturn AJ McCarron trade. Even though Browns’ notification of trade arrived moments too late, NFL said no.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2017
