Now is the time for unbridled enthusiasm, right? A new season is upon us. A strong preseason showing is in the books. There’s some things to be excited about, right?

Expectations are mixed for this team. The defense is going to win us a handful of games on their own, and quarterback play will determine the remainder of games during the 2015. That is not particularly comforting news to me, given that our best options at quarterback appear to be Josh McCown and Johnny “Elbow” Manziel.

That has to change.

To be clear, I am not suggesting the team will tank in 2015, nor am I suggesting that we purposely throw the 2015 season. But if it becomes evident early on that we are not going to be in playoff contention, we must think about addressing the QB position in the 2016 draft and give ourselves every opportunity to land the quarterback we covet. Early indications are that Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg will both be available, and both have the talent that the Browns have been lacking at the quarterback position since the return.

We didn’t suck for Luck, but we HAVE sucked ever since. Won the battle, lost the war. We’re just a few pieces away from being a contender right now, and sadly, quarterback – arguably the most important position in the game, is one of the few pieces we are missing.

As Russell Wilson’s contract proved, teams are not going to part ways with franchise quarterbacks anymore. Unless Manziel turns into “that guy” this year (let’s be honest, even if McCown plays lights out he only has a few years left in the league at best) the only chance the Browns have of obtaining a franchise QB is in the draft. We simply cannot afford to wait to let a franchise quarterback fall to us. Fail to address the quarterback situation during or prior to the 2016 draft and the windows of opportunity to maximaize the potential of the O line, D line and secondary start to close. Joe Thomas isn’t getting any younger.

We should know what we have in McCown by week 11 (if not before). If he is the same guy Tampa Bay released, you see what Manziel is made of in the last 6 games. If Manziel is no better than McCown (and I for one do not believe he will be), you mortgage your future and move up to #1 or #2 (if you’re not there already) and you take your franchise QB.

Don’t mistake this for doom and gloom. I hope we do well. I hope we make the playoffs. If we don’t, I want to have a plan. We could of had Luck. How different our fortunes would be if we did. Let’s not make the same mistake twice. This team has more talent on it than I’ve seen since the return. We are a franchise quarterback away from being relevant. If the stop gap and the dolt can’t get us there, we need to make sure we find someone who can.