Cleveland Browns: Get to know new QB Charlie Whitehurst

The Cleveland Browns signed quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, putting him next in line to be the latest player to start a game at quarterback for the Browns.

The Cleveland Browns are set to trot out the team’s 26th starting quarterback since 1999 when rookie Cody Kessler takes the field Sunday, and the team just signed a player who could be the 27th on that infamous list.

News broke Monday night that the Browns signed Charlie Whitehurst, a 34-year-old quarterback best known as “Clipboard Jesus,” who has an interesting presence on social media.

Whitehurst comes to town to serve as Kessler’s backup, but with how fast the Browns are going through quarterbacks in 2016, he may see some playing time sooner than later.

He has only started nine games in his career since being drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2006, and has 10 career touchdown passes.

Whitehurst is nothing more than an emergency backup at this point, but one has to wonder if he will appear in a game this season. With Robert Griffin III likely out until December at the earliest, and Josh McCown likely done for at least two weeks, Whitehurst is the next man up.

The Browns likely went after him because he was in the NFL last year, appearing in four games with the Indianapolis Colts. There were other free agents available, but Whitehurst is a veteran who has learned the game as a backup since joining the NFL, hence how he received the “Clipboard Jesus” nickname.

It is nice the Browns were able to find a veteran quarterback to come to town in case Kessler gets hurt, but his presence on the field at any point in 2016 means something has gone terribly wrong. This rebuilding team needs stability on offense, so a fourth quarterback getting any playing time would mean any dreams of player development have been ruined. Having someone on the field who has the word “clipboard” in his nickname is a bad sign, even if “Jesus” is the second part of the nickname.

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The fact the Browns are already signing a free agent quarterback after Week 2 is just terrible, but this season was expected to be a difficult one before it even began. Fans just didn’t realize how difficult it would be.