Cleveland Browns: The dangers of rushing a rookie quarterback
The Cleveland Browns drafted a solid player in DeShone Kizer, but he needs to play against an actual opponent before anyone even considers him a potential starter.
Everyone ready for some Cleveland Browns quarterback controversy?
The Browns don’t have a formal practice for another month, when training camp begins, but the news cycle never stops.
A simple Google search of DeShone Kizer brings up some interesting stories, as his chances of starting seem to be the main talking point right now. Cody Kessler was named the player to beat by Hue Jackson, but Browns fans are too smart to think his job was solidified at all.
Kizer has performed well in practices, which is certainly causing some to want him as the starter over Kessler or Brock Osweiler. But those in that camp need to slow down just a bit.
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Looking great in practice is nice, but we need to see Kizer in some actual game action before anyone goes declaring him the starter. Going from your teammates not hitting you to getting blindsided by someone trying to make the team in a preseason game are two different worlds.
This is not to say Kizer isn’t capable of quickly adjusting to the speed of the game, but Hue Jackson doesn’t know what he has until he sees Kizer under pressure. The same goes for fans who declare Kizer to be the clear starter over Kessler and Osweiler.
There are quarterbacks who come in as rookies and do well, but others needed some time to develop as an NFL quarterback. And considering the Browns took Kizer in the second round, he isn’t coming in projected as the Week 1 starter.
This team is not competing for the Super Bowl, so the rookie could use some time to learn the ways of the NFL and get used to the speed of the game, picking up valuable experience in the preseason.
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If he looks great in August and clearly outperforms Kessler and Osweiler, then starting him makes a bit more sense. But making him the top guy during camp seems a bit premature for a team that has a history of rushing rookie quarterbacks onto the field.