The , like seemingly everyone else on Thursday night, made a play for the No. 2 overall pick and . They included in talks and the conversation didn't last long. On Monday, the team's general manager said it was never close. And not just for the No. 2 pick, but for any pa ser in any round."It never locked in to where we were on the board," general manager Ryan Pace said, . "Every time our pick came up we had guys clearly graded better than the quarterbacks that were there. There was just never an opportunity where we were aligned. We're excited about college free agency and being able to do it that way."Pace is now confronting a harsh reality for the . Cutler was part of the old guard, a quarterback who wasn't supposed to be here once the new Hector Neris Jersey regime took over. If he was, there was supposed to be a logical replacement.Instead, the team is rolling with an option that is clearly short term for everyone involved.While it might not be a bad thing - Philadelphia Phillies Jersey - Pace and coach John Fox won't be blamed for the mistakes of previous ownership -- it would have been nice for the to have a completely fresh start in 2015.Outside of Mariota, the went for a center, , instead of (now with Pace's former team in New Orleans). He also took Penn State safety over UCLA quarterback .Pace did eventually sign another pa ser in East Carolina's Shane Carden, but he waited until undrafted free agency to add a QB.Like some other teams uncertain of their future at quarterback, Pace is doing his best to build for the future while dealing with the present.Sixteen AFC teams. Four Heroes. Three minutes per team. The latest Podcast . Find more content on .*