Cleveland Browns: The quarterback situation entering 2018
The current QB situation
DeShone Kizer was never heralded as a franchise quarterback coming out of college. He had some spectacular performances and displayed much of his talent in his first season as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback.
Yet, consistency was an issue and his decision-making and accuracy concerns drove down his stock. The likes of Deshaun Watson, Mitch Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes eventually surpassed Kizer in projections as their final collegiate year went on.
The Browns had the No. 1 and No. 12 overall selections in the 2017 NFL Draft and Cody Kessler was their current starting quarterback. It’s rare to see a team pass on a quarterback on their choosing with the first overall pick and no franchise quarterback on the roster.
But they did for Myles Garrett, the prized possession of the 2017 draft. Trubisky and Mahomes were both selected before Cleveland’s second first-round pick at No. 12 leaving Watson on the board. Of course, the Houston Texans selected Watson at that spot after Cleveland traded out of the pick.
The Browns eventually would take a stab at DeShone Kizer at No. 52 as his ceiling was high for his age. Although, his inconsistencies at college certainly made him a project moving forward.
Brock Osweiler was pinned as the starter but was cut by the team after surprisingly not meeting his already low expectations. This left the team with Kizer, Kessler and Hogan at the quarterback position and Kizer looked the best. His performances in preseason were promising and his ability to throw the ball downfield was something Browns fans have long awaited.
After a solid performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, Kizer began to unravel and the Browns sit at 0-10. Hue Jackson refused to cater to his quarterback’s strengths early on and had Kizer on a yo-yo pulling him from several games and even benching him for another.
The rookie’s confidence has likely hit a new low and now Jackson must find a way to help Kizer gain it back.
Through the first half of the season one thing is clear: The starting quarterback for the 2018 Cleveland Browns is not on the roster.