Cleveland Browns: DeShone Kizer receiving reps with first-team offense
The Cleveland Browns quarterback position remains up for grabs, and DeShone Kizer is getting a chance to work with some better talent around him.
Just when you thought the DeShone Kizer hype train may slow down, the young Cleveland Browns quarterback is receiving some reps with the first-team offense in practice today, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
#Browns Brock, Kizer splitting 1st team reps & Cody demoted to 2nd teamers. Means they're still getting Kizer ready to play
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 12, 2017
Earlier today I wrote a piece on how Cody Kessler seems to be the odd man out in this quarterback competition, and that remains true today with this rotation in practice.
This news will excite Kizer supporters, and upset those who continually point out his success Thursday night was against third and fourth-string players. Regardless of what side one is on, the reality is Kizer is going to get more reps with the first-team offense as the preseason continues.
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It makes sense for Hue Jackson to give Kizer some work with the first-team offense as he won’t know how great the rookie can or can’t be unless he plays with the top talent on the team.
This also allows him to go up against the first-team defense, which will test if he is truly capable of leading a team as a rookie.
The preseason is a perfect time to see what a quarterback has, and a successful three weeks from Kizer could lead him to winning the starting job in Week 1. And it appears the competition is now down to him and Osweiler.
It is still early in camp, but naming a starter early will help the team prepare for the regular season in an effective manner. Seeing Kizer working with the first-team offense may mean Jackson is leaning toward the rookie to start at some point in the season.
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Osweiler may win the job for Week 1 because of his experience in the NFL, but he wouldn’t be set in stone as the starter.