Cleveland Browns: Connor Shaw remaining optimistic despite long odds
By Thomas Moore
Cleveland Browns quarterback Connor Shaw is ready for a training camp battle, even if the odds are against him making the team.
When the Cleveland Browns open training camp on July 29 all eyes will be on the quarterback position.
Much of the focus during camp and throughout the team’s four preseason friendlies will be on whether or not Robert Griffin III can hold off Josh McCown and, in turn, if McCown can withstand a challenge from rookie Cody Kessler for the backup slot.
Then there is the forgotten man, Connor Shaw.
A year ago Shaw was drawing praise for his work as the undrafted free agent out of South Carolina was playing as well as former first-round quarterback Johnny Manziel. (Maybe not as difficult as it sounds after watching Manziel for two years, but still something.)
The third-year quarterback’s season came to a premature end, however, when he injured his thumb during the preseason opener against the Washington Redskins. The injury eventually led to season-ending surgery.
“We have five quarterbacks so reps are rare, but I’m taking advantage of the reps I get.” – Connor Shaw
Since we last saw Shaw the Browns have cleaned house, bringing in a new front office and coaching staff that has no investment in him. Combine that with the signing of Griffin and drafting of Kessler, and the continued presence of Austin Davis, and there are definitely too many quarterbacks and not enough chairs.
“We have five quarterbacks so reps are rare, but I’m taking advantage of the reps I get. It is still a good room to be in,” Shaw told thestate.com while preparing to host a football camp this weekend in Irmo, S.C. “We got rid of our personnel department, too. We pretty much scratched everyone who brought me there, but I stuck through OTAs with the new staff, and I think they have plans.
“We will see how it pans out in August. I’m a big fan of this staff. I really am. I understand why Cincinnati has had such success on offense now.”
Head coach Hue Jackson has made headlines by saying it is “too soon” to name the quarterbacks who will make the final roster, it is not too difficult to see how this will play out in the coming weeks.
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Barring an injury, Griffin is going to be the starter and Kessler will make the team, the only question is if he will be Griffin’s backup or the weekly inactive third quarterback. If the Browns end up trading McCown (which would be a mistake), Kessler would presumably move into the backup role, opening up an opportunity for Shaw.
And if he doesn’t make it out of camp with the Browns? Well, Shaw already has his eye on a potential career change.
“I’m a coach at heart,” said Shaw, who won 27 games as the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback. “I grew up in a coach’s family. I enjoy it and I’m good at instructing kids. It’s a lot of fun. We have a lot of camps that we scholarship in underprivileged kids that really don’t ever get a chance to do that, and you can just tell it lights their day up.
“I have kind of always envisioned that all my life, seeing myself as a coach, but we’ll see. I’d love to end up at my alma mater one day.”
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How do you see the quarterback situation playing out for the Browns during training camp?