Browns release QB Jason Campbell

Dec 29, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jason Campbell (17) warms up on the field before playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns announced the release of quarterback Jason Campbell on the heels of the announcement of the release of Brandon Weeden.  The year of Campbell will go down as one of the more bizarre in recent history.  His play in three games was as great as his play in the other four was awful.

Campbell is an era of Browns football Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer would like to forget.  After coming out and playing well in two games before the bye week against Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, Cabot labeled his play ‘elite’, causing many to snicker and laugh.  That group appeared to include Campbell who promptly laid an egg against the Cincinnati Bengals in the game after the bye week before suffering a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Campbell was not done though as he came out and was fantastic against the New England Patriots, throwing for 391 yards and 3 touchdowns in a heart breaking loss that came down to the wire.  This remarkable inconsistency has been the story of Campbell’s entire career and he is so impossible to predict.  He was either great or horrific and there was no in between.  Campbell also had a rib issue that gave him trouble, but he really was the same guy he had always been in his career.

The one thing that is a credit to Campbell in addition to his three games of great play where he had 8 touchdowns and zero interceptions was how much of a professional he was.  He never complained, answered every question asked and was supportive of teammates.  It would have been easy for him to cry foul when Brian Hoyer was elevated ahead of him, but he did not.

Still, it is not a surprise to see Campbell go, but even as he was ultimately the third string quarterback for the Browns, his year in Cleveland was a roller coaster ride and incredible in just how high his peaks were and how low his valleys were.  Hoyer and Alex Tanney are the remaining quarterbacks on the roster for now.