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Cleveland Browns sign quarterback DeShone Kizer

By Thomas Moore

Jun 13, 2017; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson watches as quarterback DeShone Kizer (7) throws a pass during minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2017; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson watches as quarterback DeShone Kizer (7) throws a pass during minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Browns have signed second-round draft pick DeShone Kizer, making him the eighth of the team’s 10 draft picks to sign their rookie contracts.

The Cleveland Browns have come to terms with quarterback DeShone Kizer on his rookie contract.

The deal was announced on the team’s website.

The Browns selected Kizer in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 52nd overall selection.

Related: Browns do not need to start DeShone Kizer in Week 1

Kizer, who is 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds, has the size and arm strength you want to see in a quarterback in the AFC North. He also was benched at times last season and struggled to make it work with Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. How much of the blame for that falls on Kizer and how much Kelly has to carry remains a question.

Related: 5 Questions on DeShone Kizer with Slap the Sign

Kizer caught the attention of the media this week at veteran minicamp while taking some practice reps with the first-team offense. While things are getting better, Kizer said he still has much to learn before he is ready, according to clevelandbrowns.com:

"“I am pretty happy with where I am right now in the sense that this whole OTA experience and now veteran camp was just an opportunity for me to put myself in a position to potentially compete when it comes training camp time. Once again, I am not in a position to even consider myself in a competition, but now after getting this base and getting the reps I have gotten in the last couple weeks, I think that by the time training camp comes around, with a little more work over this month off, I will be ready to compete with these guys and see what I can do.”"

Because he did not light it up on a consistent basis in college, Kizer will likely need time to acclimate his game to the pro level. Whether or not head coach Hue Jackson can stay true to having Kizer ride the bench behind Cody Kessler and Brock Osweiler will be a major storyline throughout training camp and the preseason.

Next: Hue Jackson: Way too early to talk starting QBs

Kizer is the eighth of Cleveland’s 10 draft picks to sign his rookie contract, joining Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Howard Wilson, Rod Johnson, Caleb Brantley, Zane Gonzalez and Matthew Dayes.

The only unsigned players are first-round selections Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku.

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