The Cleveland Browns made a lot of headlines last season, both good and bad. Wide receiver Josh Gordon spent a lot of time in the news for his various substance abuse problems, and the team's quarterback issues were a debate topic all year. The team was also in the playoff hunt for much of the season, and they no doubt hope to take another step forward in 2015.

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One of the main things that the team needs in order to keep improving is better quarterback play. The team has likely gone as far as it can go with Brian Hoyer, and Johnny Manziel's play and off-the-field habits raised serious questions about his ability to be the team's quarterback of the future.

Those issues have created speculation that the team may look into drafting Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, and that has many other NFL executives up in arms, claiming that the team is cheating the draft rules.

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According to Pro Football Talk, Cleveland reportedly has an agreement in place with Kevin O'Connell to become the team's next quarterbacks coach. But before he joins the team, he will finish his current work, which is training Mariota ahead of the draft.

League rules forbid NFL teams from having direct contact with any draft prospects, but since O'Connell is not officially a part of the organization yet, he can continue working with Mariota. At the very least, he can give the Browns a tremendous scouting report on the Oregon quarterback, and he could potentially even start teaching the Cleveland system to Mariota, allowing him to join the team way ahead of every other rookie in the league in terms of communication.

"So let me get this straight," a high-level executive with another team told PFT on Wednesday morning. "The Browns can have their quarterbacks coach in waiting work with a player, teach him the entire offense, etc., but we can't even talk to any potential draft pick until the Combine per league rules? Something is wrong here."

To see Mariota's latet draft projection, watch the video below.