Browns QB Brandon Weeden Will Not Play in Preseason Finale
In what comes as a bit of surprise, it was announced on Tuesday that Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden will not play in the team’s preseason finale on Thursday night against the Chicago Bears. Colt McCoy will start in Weeden’s place, though Seneca Wallace and Thaddeus Lewis will also see playing time.
In addition to Weeden, head coach Pat Shurmur said that most starters will sit, and the ones that do play won’t be in the game very long. For a team that is thin in terms of depth, and has been dealing with some injuries to key players, sitting the starters in a meaningless fourth preseason game isn’t a big deal.
As for McCoy, he has been making a very strong case to be the backup quarterback in Cleveland this season. He has a 119.1 passer rating in the preseason and he is completing 75% of his passes. Granted, his success is coming against second-team defenses, but he has shown more than enough to stay on the roster.
The Browns would be smart to hang on to McCoy; that is, unless another team blows them away with a trade offer. While Weeden has had his impressive moments in the preseason, his potential for success in the NFL is still up in the air. McCoy is a serviceable backup and, more importantly, a much-needed insurance option.