Browns Officially Announce QB Brandon Weeden as Starter
In a move that was truly only a matter of “when” and not “if,” the Cleveland Browns named Brandon Weeden the starting quarterback on Monday. The move comes in preparation for Friday’s first preseason game against the Detroit Lions, and there’s certainly no turning back at this point.
Since being drafted at No. 22 overall in April’s draft, Weeden has been expected to be the starter. The 28-year-old rookie has an accelerated timetable, which certainly helped his cause, though the alternative of Colt McCoy was probably enough reason to name Weeden the starter as well.
McCoy has been defended here before, but the addition of Weeden forced the team’s hand into a new direction. Now, the Browns are left with an understandably angry and bitter McCoy, who assumed this would be an actual quarterback competition.
Instead, McCoy never even got a snap with the first-team offense.
“I thought coming in it would be a competition. But again I’ve come out here and competed my tail off and I’ve really worked hard to get better and improve and I know I have and I know our team has. So from that standpoint I am OK,” McCoy said on Cleveland.com.
It’s fine to feel bad for McCoy’s raw deal, but if this team is going to set itself up for the future, Weeden was the only plausible option at quarterback. The Browns made the right decision, though it must be pointed out that a grand total of zero games have been played. That is something McCoy – and the Browns – should keep in mind.
Friday is going to either make the future look bright or as murky as ever.