GM Tom Heckert’s unknown injury affects Cleveland Browns draft QB hiring plans - NFL News
It is not clear what is going to happen to Cleveland Browns’ aims of bringing in a draft quarterback, as the team is yet to confirm the replacement for the injured general manager, Tom Heckert.
Heckert was expected to be at the National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine, currently underway at Indianapolis for assessment of prospective professional players from the college league.
He was supposed to participate in the interviews with the draft players, but an unspecified medical procedure has affected the plan.
Browns have confirmed that the manager underwent a serious surgery last week and therefore would not be making it to the Combine to analyse prospective pro quarterbacks, who included Baylor’s Robert Lee Griffin III.
The manager was scheduled to have a 15-minute interview opportunity with Griffin III, who decided against throwing football at the event.
Heckert’s replacement is not yet announced and it is also not apparent whether the team has opted out of the opportunity.
Interestingly, no one from Browns has spoken about the ‘serious procedure’ on the GM, which has rather happened all of a sudden.
Neal Gulkis, the team’s spokesman, said that "personal medical issues are his private affair. He is doing fine." He did not add anything further to the statement.
Browns’ coach, Pat Shurmur, confirmed last week that the GM would be heading to the Combine to assess Griffin III and other potential quarterbacks.
Apparently, the plan of bringing in a draft quarterback was not explicitly open, as besides their desire of a new player, the team posed confidence into the regular QB, Colt McCoy.
Currently recovering from a head injury, McCoy will join the squad most probably in the preseason, and the team’s coach is expecting him to come out on the field with improved form.
With the confirmation of Heckert’s procedure, the possibility of adding a new QB to the side has become very remote and it leaves the doors open for McCoy’s return.
McCoy finished the 2011 National Football League (NFL) season with the record of 4-9, which is below par.
This made Browns to start pondering about the option of a rookie quarterback. They, at the same time, did not specify if they were looking for a player for the starting position.
The new acquisition will certainly lighten the load on McCoy, but it will also threaten his standing in the team.
Irrespective to the plans, Browns said that Heckert was progressing well and going to be fine. They, however, did not specify nature of the injury and timeline for his return to the side in the future.
Tom Heckert is with Browns since 2010, and before that he had spent as many as nine years at the Philadelphia Eagles.
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