Mariota doing his best Hulk Hogan running leg drop. Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Mariota doing his best Hulk Hogan running leg drop.
Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Despite what Sal Pal would like you to believe, the Eagles getting Marcus Mariota in the NFL Draft is a long shot. Not only is he a top talent, but (as usual) a bunch of teams at the top of the draft need a quarterback. The team with the number one pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, needs a quarterback. Luckily for the Eagles — and Sal Pal’s space shuttle re-entry level hot takes — the Bucs reportedly favor Jameis Winston over Mariota. So CBS’ latest mock has him going number two to Tennessee, but Cleveland’s got some shady plans, too.

According to Deadspin, the Browns (who are a complete mess from top to bottom) are eyeing Mariota and using a little edge to get in his head. As Tom Ley points out:

The Browns have not yet officially hired Kevin O’Connell to be the team’s new quarterbacks coach, but it’s been reported far and wide that O’Connell will be joining the coaching staff this upcoming season. Before he does that, though, he’s going to finish personally training top prospect Marcus Mariota, a quarterback whom the Browns are reportedly interested in drafting.

The issue? No other team can talk to any prospects at all until the combine starts. But the Browns, and their unofficially new quarterbacks coach, are already getting in Mariota’s head, perhaps teaching him the offense, and doing their damnedest to convince him that Cleveland doesn’t suck. They’re finally getting that Ikea!

But then again, Mel Kiper has Mariota going to the Jets at number six, and going from pick 20 to pick 6 doesn’t seem like that much of a jump and … oh my god … I’ve been consumed by the fire from Sal Pal’s hot takes. Help me.