Bengals QB A.J. McCarron filed a grievance against the team earlier this year and is "awaiting a ruling from an arbitrator that will determine whether he is an unrestricted or restricted free agent after this season," according to sources cited by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The ruling, expected sometime this winter, "could determine whether the Browns are able to sign McCarron to a potentially lucrative contract without any compensation" to the Bengals or whether the Browns would "have to trade for his rights." The Browns ahead of last week's trade deadline "agreed to trade second- and third-round picks to the Bengals" for McCarron. But the NFL denied the deal because the Browns "failed to notify the league" before the deadline (ESPN.com, 11/4). In Cincinnati, Jim Owczarski noted McCarron contends that he "should have accrued a season toward free agency in his rookie year" of '14. But it is "currently considered that he did not" due to an injury. Sources said that McCarron's case "should be decided by March -- but it shouldn't be assumed." It is "possible a decision could be made after the beginning of free agency." This would "not be ideal for several reasons, the least of which being potential open jobs and salary cap dollars would be limited for McCarron with either outcome" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/5).
STORY BEGINS TO SURFACE: CBSSPORTS.com's Jason La Canfora cited sources as saying that numerous Browns coaches believe Exec VP/Football Operations Sashi Brown had "no intention of actually completing the agreed-upon trade" with the Bengals. The trade's degree of compensation "struck the rest of the league as wildly inflated, and while rival executives can see why Brown would have balked in the end, backing out of a verbal commitment to another team is considered a massive breach of protocol within the NFL, leaving the Bengals, and Browns coaches, furious." It was also "well known within the Browns organization how highly coach Hue Jackson thought of McCarron" (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/5). THE MMQB's Peter King writes "unless there’s a reversal of play by the Browns down the stretch of this season," he does not see how Owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam are "going to let all front-office members return" in '18. This non-trade is a "major disgrace, even by the standards of the Browns," and the reputation of the team's front office is "now surfacing." Teams "do not like trading with the Browns," as they feel like their "asking price, or the selling price, is too much of a moving target." Other teams were "not surprised the McCarron deal fell through" (SI.com, 11/6).
STAYING AWAY: In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps reports the Browns are "on pace for their worst year at the gate" since '84. The "seemingly never-ending nightmare" that is the Browns is the "cost that every business faces if they put an inferior product on the market." The Browns are 0-8 this year after going 1-15 last season. Kleps: "When a team has to give away Cedar Point tickets to entice fans to attend a game, you know you've got a problem." Lifelong fans "apparently have had enough," as they are "making it clear they are not buying what the team is selling" (CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, 11/6 issue).
