2016 Browns Preview: Quarterbacks

The Cleveland Browns quarterback position has been a constant ferris wheel of passers who have been unable to take hold of the starting job. Cleveland saw another rounds of changes this offseason, so the wheel turns once again. Can the Browns finally find their future franchise quarterback?

Currently, the Browns have Robert Griffin III, Cody Kessler and Josh McCown under center. So, what will the Browns position look like in the upcoming season? Let’s take a gander at the Browns quarterback position going into the 2016 NFL season.

2016 Browns Preview Series: Safeties, Cornerbacks, Inside Linebackers, Outside Linebackers, Defensive Line, Tight Ends, Offensive Line, Running Backs/Fullbacks, Wide Receivers, Quarterbacks

Key Additions: Robert Griffin III and Cody Kessler

Key Losses: Johnny Manziel and Austin Davis

Expected Starters: Robert Griffin III

The Browns new starting quarterback going into the upcoming season will be newly acquired Robert Griffin III. Entering his fifth NFL season, Griffin did not play a snap last season with the Washington Redskins. In nine games during the 2014 season, he completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 1,694 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions, while also rushing 38 times for 176 yards and a touchdown.

Griffin is looking for a fresh start in Cleveland after his Washington stint ended with a dud. He has all the talent in the world: He possesses a strong arm with good deep ball accuracy, and his athletic ability allows him to hurt a defense with either his legs or arm. His biggest issue has been his head and health. He must show that he can improve his field vision, using the entire field, while also improving his decision-making. His health is also a question mark as he has faced a host of injuries over his first four seasons. Griffin has a lot of positives, but also some real unknowns.

Can the Browns finally find their starting quarterback of the future? That is what Robert Griffin III is hoping to answer. He has the talent to be the future of the Browns quarterback position, but can he put behind his pitfalls that have held him back so far in his young career while having little around him in the way of support?

Possible Contributors: Josh McCown and Cody Kessler

As all Browns fans know, the Browns will likely need multiple quarterbacks during the 2016 season. Over the last three years, the Browns have had three different quarterbacks starting in each season. Since 1999, the Browns have had one season, 2001, where one quarterback started all 16 games. In eight games last season for the Browns, McCown completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,109 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions, along with a rushing touchdown. In 14 games at USC last season, Kessler completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 3,536 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, along with four rushing touchdowns.

Josh McCown is a solid backup quarterback for the team with ample starting experience in his career. He is a big quarterback with a good arm and a jaw that could cut a Christmas Day ham. He played solid last season, leading an offense with very few real playmakers. McCown will be in a confortable spot as the immediate backup.

Kessler is a smart quarterback with good accuracy and ball placement. He is a solid athlete and has clean throwing mechanics, but is a young quarterback with a lot of work to do. He struggles under pressure and throwing through a busy pocket. He does not possess a great arm, struggling some with downfield passes. At present day, he looks like the game is moving past him at warp speed while he makes his decisions in quicksand.

via @browns

Biggest Strength: Starting Experience

The Browns biggest strength at the quarterback position is their many years of starting experience with two of their quarterbacks. Robert Griffin III has multiple seasons of starting experience all with varying levels of success. Behind Griffin, Josh McCown also has quite a few seasons where he started games for a team, he too waffling between success and failure, along with the experience of playing on multiple offenses. The unit is filled with starting experience with their top two quarterbacks, but how much of that translates into success in Cleveland is the million-dollar question.

Biggest Weakness: Consistency

The biggest weakness of the quarterbacks unit is their consistency. Griffin has been really good in the league, but over the past few seasons, he has struggled. He has been unable to sustain an acceptable level of play for more than one season. McCown had a season last year where he would play excellent in one game and then a clunker in the next. Kessler is a rookie and most rookie quarterbacks have a hard time with consistency early on in their career. The unit is filled with wild cards.

Key Player: Robert Griffin III

The key player for the quarterbacks unit is obviously the starting quarterback, Robert Griffin III. He has the most talent of any of the quarterbacks on the roster, just a few years removed from one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory. He has to show that he has improved from his past weaknesses, however. Griffin could solidify the position and give the Browns something they have been searching for since 1999 in a franchise quarterback. He has the talent to be that for the team and the city. The success of the position and the overall offense rests with Griffin.

Overall Opinion:

I may be higher on the Browns quarterback position than others. I am excited about the prospects of Griffin, having loved him when he came out of Baylor and still believe he has the talent to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. Being with Hue Jackson could be the right medicine to turn Griffin’s career around. He has the chance to end the Browns misery at the quarterback spot and really move the team to the next level.

Behind Griffin, Josh McCown is one of the best backup quarterback options in the league. He has a lot of experience and has shown success in his career. I feel confident in McCown to be able to come in when needed and produce is a solid way for the offense. Behind McCown, Kessler gives the team a player to develop, in case Griffin is not the answer and the team is still looking for their starting quarterback. In my opinion, the Browns quarterback position is in a lot better position then it has been in the last few seasons.