The Cleveland Browns have three quarterbacks vying for the starting job, and Hue Jackson must break down the pros and cons of each to determine who deserves the job.
The annual starting quarterback debate is a staple of being a Cleveland Browns fan. And that hasn’t changed in 2017.
The position was addressed during the 2017 NFL Draft when DeShone Kizer was selected in the second round, but by taking him at No. 52 overall, the Browns didn’t commit to Kizer as the savior, or even as the sure starter this year.
It leaves an open competition between Kizer, Cody Kessler, and Brock Osweiler. Sorry, Kevin Hogan fans.
Osweiler may not even be on the team once training camp begins, but we will keep him in the competition for as long as he is a member of the team. But it does appear it would be beneficial for the Browns to keep him given the lack of experience among the group.
Hue Jackson helps as the coach, but it wouldn’t hurt the younger quarterbacks to have someone like Osweiler around who has played behind Peyton Manning and has been on a Super Bowl winning team.
Jackson has a big decision to make, and Browns fans will surely be vocal about who they think the starter should be in 2017. Perhaps there are even some big Kevin Hogan fans out there.
This post will go through the three top quarterbacks and determine the pros and cons of starting each individual. Up first is the early favorite.
Pros: Cody Kessler enters the competition as the favorite based on his experience with the offense. He did have an 0-8 record as a starter a year ago, but he was knocked out of several games and didn’t have much to work with on offense. This is not an excuse, but rather some perspective.
Kessler has had the entire offseason to work with the young receivers on the team after getting to work with the group throughout 2016. He may not have the most potential, but the advantage of history with the offense is clear.
Kessler was also great at protecting the ball. He only threw two interceptions in 195 attempts, showing his ability to be efficient on offense. He may not come out and be the sole reason for a victory, but he isn’t going to lose the game.
Cons: The lack of a win is a glaring mark on Kessler’s resume. He did deserve a win in his first start against the Miami Dolphins, but a loss is a loss regardless. His two interceptions were mentioned, but he also only threw six touchdown passes. While his play didn’t lose games, he never did anything to lead the team to victory in a time of need.
Kessler also doesn’t appear to be the future at quarterback for the Browns. Starting him may only be a temporary situation, and some may want to see what Kizer has in 2017, or may already be looking ahead to 2018 to ultimately find the franchise guy. So it comes down to whether it is worth it to give Kessler another shot in 2017.
Pros: Starting DeShone Kizer shows the Browns what they got with the quarterback who was at one point one of the top prospects in his draft class.
The Browns are still in the midst of a rebuild and the outlook for 2017 isn’t some drastic turnaround. The goal is to gradually improve, and Kizer has the highest potential of any of the quarterbacks on the roster. With the benefit of being in a rebuilding year, it is smart to see if the hype is real.
While the front office and Hue Jackson won’t say it, there is some great quarterback talent waiting for the team in the 2018 class. So with that being known, there is no reason to not see what the team has with Kizer before potentially making a big investment next year.
Cons: Browns fans have seen this story far too many times. The team drafts a young quarterback and puts him on the field right away before he is necessarily ready to be an NFL starter. It has caused talented players to fizzle out fast, and fans don’t want to see it happen once again.
Related: The case for starting Kizer in 2017
Keeping Kizer off the field allows him to learn the game and get some time to develop. With it being another rebuilding year, this may mean the team doesn’t do well, but there is no need to go have Kizer fail on the field.
Giving him time to develop increases the talent pool at the position in 2018, and gives the team a developed option to go with if the team doesn’t draft a quarterback early next year.
Pros: If Brock Osweiler does end up on the final roster, he brings experience that few players on the roster have. He started in last year’s playoffs and was part of a team in Denver that won a Super Bowl, even though he didn’t start in the big game.
While Osweiler could serve as a mentor, starting him at the beginning of the year allows the younger quarterbacks to continue their development behind an experienced player. He may not be the most talented of the group, but his experience could serve him well in situations that may overwhelm younger players.
Cons: The main problem with Osweiler is his talent, or lack thereof. He may be able to turn his career around in Cleveland, but he has had some miserable performances to watch in the recent past.
His three interceptions against the New England Patriots in last year’s playoffs kept his Houston Texans from ever mounting a comeback, and may have sealed his fate with the team.
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He never reached the 300-yard mark in any game last season, and only threw 15 touchdowns in the regular season, compared to 16 interceptions. And given the fact it is unlikely he is in the long-term plans of the franchise, it may not make sense to start him over Kessler and Kizer in 2017.