DeShone Kizer

The Kansas City Chiefs are in need of adding help at quarterback behind Patrick Mahomes, who at the moment is the only quarterback the team has under contract for 2018. One report out Friday afternoon says the scuttlebutt at the NFL Scouting Combine is that the Chiefs could be interested in filling a back-up quarterback spot with DeShone Kizer of the Cleveland Browns.

The news was tweeted by Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire/USA TODAY. Goldman says there could be trade talks going on between the Browns and Chiefs, and that the price to acquire Kizer might not be very expensive.

Heard today that #Chiefs could be in discussions with the #Browns to acquire 2nd year Quarterback DeShone Kizer. I was told that compensation could be as little as a day 3 pick or late round swap for the #Chiefs to obtain Kizer. — scoutingbychuck (@funderpunt) March 2, 2018

It might seem early from the outside looking in for the Browns to give up on Kizer, who they selected in Round 2 of the 2017 NFL Draft. But Kizer (6-4, 233) had a rough rookie season, throwing for 2,894 yards in 15 winless starts with 11 touchdowns, 22 interceptions, and a passer rating of 60.5. Kizer also had 77 carries for 419 yards and five touchdowns.

The Browns are widely assumed to be in a market for a quarterback this offseason, either in free agency or the draft (or both). Kizer was a draft pick of the previous Browns front office under former Executive V.P. of Football Operations Sashi Brown, who was fired in December. With former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey now in charge in Cleveland, perhaps the Browns are already looking to move on from Kizer and give him a chance elsewhere.