Weighing in 

It is truly amazing how quickly some lame-brained idea can catch fire and light up the Internet. Viral doesn't begin to describe the latest stick of dynamite involving the Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The on-going saga down in Houston with regard to the playing services of Deshaun Watson caught the attention of the National Football League universe after the Texans foolishly allowed the star quarterback to be part of the selection process for a new head coach.

Foolishly because there seems to be an unclear division of responsibility within that structure of that dysfunctional team. As a general rule, the ownership and front office take care of the business end of the team. That includes selection of player personnel and the coaching staff.

Players are paid to play, not stick their wealthy noses into places they don't belong. Because the club hierarchy paid scant attention to whom Watson wanted for his next head coach, he all but demanded he wanted to be an ex-Texan.

The Internet exploded almost instantly and speculated wildly as to his next destination. Web sites all over the NFL landscape climbed aboard. That's where the Browns entered the picture.

One fan Web site among the many devoted to the Browns launched the following thought: "It's time for the Cleveland Browns to think about Deshaun Watson", suggesting it wouldn't be a bad idea for General Manager Andrew Berry to at least think about giving the Texans a buzz, dangling Mayfield as bait.

Well, that set off all kinds of bells and whistles, catching the attention of the pundits on ESPN, FOX and the NFL Network among others, and undoubtedly numerous radio talk shows across the nation with regard to these high profile quarterbacks.

The notion Watson and Mayfield intersect in the thoughts of anyone indicates some people are not paying attention. Both are good quarterbacks. In fact, it would not be incorrect to call Watson a great quarterback. And therein lies the problem.

Mayfield and Watson are entirely different types of quarterback. There is no plausible argument that would convince me the Browns would be a better team with Watson in charge of the huddle than Mayfield.

Football is a team game on both sides of the football. On offense, it's 11 men pulling in the same direction. It took nearly half a season under the tutelage of Kevin Stefanski for Mayfield to realize that and become Stefanski's kind of offensive leader.

He is the polar opposite of what he brought to the table in his first two NFL seasons. The mistake-prone gunslinger has morphed into a model of reliability capable of keeping his team in games regardless of how his cohorts on defense play.

I am not certain at all that Watson can change his game because that's what he would have to do to fit Stefanski's methodical, button-down system. It's a system that values the run as much as, if not more than, the forward pass.

Watson has carved out a reputation as one of the league's best passers, but would have to play a diminished role, relatively speaking, for the Cleveland head coach. 

Don't get me wrong about Watson. I love him. As a fantasy football quarterback. Had him on our team this season and we were rewarded with a third-place finish in a 20-team league. But he is not a system quarterback, where ball carelessness is not tolerated.

If I was starting a team, damn right I would want Watson over Mayfield. But not now. Not when the Browns after all these years have finally developed a winning culture under Stefanski. Why spoil it now? Makes no sense whatsoever.

Why fix something that isn't broken? If it weren't for Mayfield and the offense, the Browns would not have come close to qualifying for the playoffs, knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening round and scared the crap out of the Kansas City Chiefs in round two.

There are certain rumors that have legs as they swirl around the NFL landscape. They linger for a while before something definitive emerges. This could be one of those.

The Texans, who ultimately hired a head coach Watson didn't favor, say their quarterback is going nowhere. They paid him a lot of money last season and made it clear they intend to make certain he is going to stick around to collect it.

Personally, I don't think Watson is going anywhere. It would be a devastating public relations blunder for a club that has lately exhibited the same dysfunctional tendencies that hampered the Browns for the better part of last two decades.

The best part of this scenario? Mayfield is also going nowhere.