Cleveland Browns: RG3 will open the season as the starter

Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III is the clear favorite to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2016.

The Cleveland Browns introduced the new rookie class this past weekend during the team’s rookie minicamp.

A player who has been focused on since camp ended is Cody Kessler, the surprise quarterback taken by the Browns in the third round of this year’s draft.

As he was the main quarterback in focus during the minicamp, he has been receiving some attention, or about as much as one can receive during a weekend-long minicamp.

But while positive things being said about Kessler is good for the franchise, he will not start the season at the top of the depth chart, or even as the backup.

Josh McCown should start the season as the backup quarterback, while Robert Griffin III will at least open the season as the starter.

Head Coach Hue Jackson has not yet named a starter, but there is no reason for him to do so at this point in time.

He is smart to let Griffin show up and prove that he deserves the job, which he should be able to do against the other quarterbacks on the roster.

Griffin, who is finally healthy, will have a young, hungry group of receivers to work with in his return to full-time action. The talent around him should allow him to prove himself worthy of the starting position early on this summer, even if Jackson decides to hold off on any official announcement until later on in the preseason.

The only real competition for Griffin is McCown, but he is at a point in his career where he is more valuable to the team on the sideline rather than on the field. If Griffin was never signed, then McCown would likely have to be the starter this season.

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With the current process of rebuilding and a thin offensive line, McCown may not be able to remain healthy all season, given his history of being fearless/diving headfirst into the end zone.

The next closest competition is Kessler, but the Browns did not draft him to play in 2016 unless it is out of necessity, which may be the case given the team’s quarterback history since 1999.

But as of right now, Griffin is the clear favorite who should be able to prove himself early on this summer. The former No. 2 overall pick is being given a fresh start on a team who is undergoing a fresh start of its own. There will be tough times, but Griffin will have low expectations, making any success out of him a pleasant surprise, while bringing the team a step closer to returning to the playoffs.

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