Browns quarterbacks Josh McCown and Robert Griffin III said they aren't all too concerned one way or the other regarding what Cleveland's trade in the upcoming NFL Draft might mean for them going forward.
McCown and Griffin, who met with reporters Thursday, said the team's decision to deal the No. 2 pick to the Eagles won't have much of an effect on their approach to the offseason as the Browns closed their first voluntary veteran minicamp under first-year coach Hue Jackson.
"I don't really worry about it," said Griffin, who is competing with McCown, Austin Davis and Connor Shaw to be the team's starting quarterback. "You just focus on what is at hand each and every day, conquering each day and getting better."
McCown, who started eight games last season, echoed a similar sentiment.
"I'm not going to worry about that. I'm just going to focus on what I have to do today and go and work hard," he said. "The way that Hue comes in and works and the way he attacks the day and approaches it, it is very contagious and it makes it very easy to just immerse yourself in the day and not even get concerned with those things."
The Browns on Wednesday received the No. 8 pick and a bevy of additional selections for the second overall pick after what executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown called weeks of "extensive" conversations with Philadelphia.
"We kind of put all the information on the table and got through some healthy discussions — not easy decisions obviously to move out of No. 2 with some talented quarterbacks potentially being at that spot for us to take — but we felt like this was the better bet and there was a consensus and agreement in that decision," Brown said.
The Rams, who hold the No. 1 pick after a trade with Tennessee last week, and the Eagles are both expected to draft a quarterback, be it California's Jared Goff, North Dakota State's Carson Wentz or someone else in the class.
Against that backdrop, Griffin — the former Offensive Rookie of the Year who joined the Browns last month after four seasons with the Redskins — played down the notion the trade might be an indication the team is comfortable with him potentially as its starting quarterback.
"I'm just focused on what we can control as players in that locker room," Griffin said. "We don't really worry about those things. Everybody is here to earn a job."
McCown, who has said he's focused on the present in light of speculation he might be traded or released as the team's roster takes shape, reiterated as much Thursday.
"I don't know what's going to happen. Really and truly – I hate it because it's just cliché – but it's a day at a time. I wish I could give you something else, but that's it," he said. "That's the only way to do it because a lot of times if you get ahead of things, it affects the day that you are trying to have because you are worried about what is going to happen tomorrow, the next day or if you are looking behind you, you are worried about that."
Jackson said Griffin's presence on the roster had no bearing on the trade with the Eagles.
"I know everybody thinks that because he's here. I don't think Robert's being here influenced the thinking," he said. "I've said all along that we were still in our process of seeing what was best for us. And as an organization, we had an opportunity to make a trade, we made it, and it had nothing to do with the quarterback."
Jackson added: "I'm gonna keep saying it again, we have four quarterbacks on this football team and Robert's one of them ... I feel very comfortable with where we are at our quarterback position and we'll see how the draft unfolds."
