The Cleveland Browns’ Quarterback Situation is, Once Again, a Mess
Thaddeus Lewis will be the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as the team heads into Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers and put an end to what has become yet another disappointing season.
Both Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy are out nursing shoulder injuries, which paves the way for Lewis to make his first career start. It also means another season has gone by where a Browns quarterback has been unable to make 16 starts. The last player to do so was Tim Couch in 2001.
But, more importantly, it’s proof that, once again, the quarterback position in Cleveland is a mess.
Brandon Weeden will finish his first season in the NFL completing only 57% of his passes (297 for 517) for 3,385 yards, 14 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He looked confident and capable at times, but he also occasionally looked lost, making exceedingly poor decisions as the season wore on.
Obviously, Weeden hasn’t cemented his status as the starting quarterback for 2013. With a new front office coming into Cleveland, every aspect of the organization will be under intense scrutiny, which will likely put Weeden on shaky ground.
As is the case with many of the Browns’ failed quarterback experiments, Weeden deserves a chance to improve upon his rookie season. What might separate him from the rest of the lost causes would be to actually get that opportunity.
Until the Browns straighten out the quarterback position, though, they are destined for a foreseeable future of mediocrity.
Will the Browns give Weeden another chance? Do they look to free agency for a new answer? Will they simply draft another quarterback and start over?
These are the questions the Browns were hoping to avoid this offseason, but the team has been forced to at least give consideration to other options.