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August 7, 2017So maybe the Cleveland Browns weren’t simply trading for a future pick when they took on Brock Osweiler’s giant contract. As the Browns stare down the opening pre-season game of the 2017 NFL season, it’s not Cody Kessler or draft pick Deshone Kizer. It’s Brock Osweiler who will be under center. The Browns released a statement from Hue Jackson.
“At this stage in the evaluation process of our quarterbacks, we are going to have Brock start the preseason opener against the Saints on Thursday night,” head coach Hue Jackson said. “A lot goes into our evaluation but it’s always going to be about efficiently and effectively running the offense. You want your starter to be able to do that despite any circumstance. Brock hasn’t really gotten any first team reps and this will give him that chance. We look forward to seeing what he can do with this opportunity throughout the week and against the Saints. Cody will be the second quarterback to take the field followed by DeShone and then Kevin. I’m pleased with the way our quarterbacks have competed and improved throughout the offseason and training camp. We are going to see a lot more of all of them this preseason and everyone in that room still has the chance to earn more opportunities and the right to lead our team as the starter when the regular season begins on September 10th.”
This isn’t a permanent thing as we all know when it comes to Cleveland Browns quarterbacks. Still, it’s not nothing.
For Cody Kessler this is a failure. He was the incumbent with the most institutional knowledge and experience in Hue Jackson’s offense. While he wasn’t exactly a juggernaut favorite, he did get the first chance in the first position. He has squandered any advantage he might have had to this point.
In contrast to Kessler, this might be a small victory for Deshone Kizer. For the rookie out of Notre Dame, it’s easy to imagine a scenario where there would have been a decided curse to go along with winning the quarterback competition. Other cursed winners have included Colt McCoy and Tim Couch, who got their brains beat in for their hard-won victories. For now, it is totally possible that Kizer could win in the long run by losing in the short run.
And good for Brock Osweiler. This is the same guy that I said the Browns should probably just cut because I thought he was a less-than-stellar guy that probably wasn’t worth the trouble for the small chance he could win some football games for the Browns. I am not ready to come off that opinion completely, but I won’t root against a guy who is proving something to Hue Jackson and the rest of his coaching staff.
So for now, Brock Osweiler is in the first position. Now it’s up to him to hold off Cody Kessler and Deshone Kizer. For Browns fans this is not a monumental piece of news as this was a competition that felt like it was won by default more than it was grabbed by a worthy winner. This is like trying to choose a third starter based on who can eat the most innings while allowing you to keep it close.
60 Comments
This is neither a success for Osweiler nor a failure for Kessler. This is a chance for the Browns to showcase an available QB for the next team that’s going to need one.
https://twitter.com/RuiterWrongFAN/status/894550032770355200
I wonder if the real reason is that the Browns are showcasing Os for other teams to look at.
I get the feeling from the way Hue has talked about Os so far that he never wanted him here but the front office dumped Os on him to get that draft pick, and so he’s stuck with him.
Schefter.
According to the coach himself, Osweiler hasn’t had any reps with the first team. This week will be the first chance. Maybe Osweiler earned it. Maybe? Hard to see how. (And listen, I hope he’s great and I hope we keep him, but until Schefter provides a name and context – like, what was the offer? – I remain conspiratorially skeptical.)
I doubt that the Browns aren’t interested in parting ways with him. Maybe for that particular offer they weren’t interested, but they’re definitely interested.
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https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/894560036617367552
The only problem with your theory is that Cleveland IS the team next team that needs one.
This doesn’t mean much past the first preseason game. For those wanting Kizer to start, the three QBs I look at are Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr. None of them started the first preseason game, but Wilson and Carr did enough to impress when called upon.
Osweiler looked the best in the scrimmage and looked to most consistent. If they want to win this season, I hate to say it, but he is probably the best option. At this point, I’d be shocked if we don’t see all three start this season for the Browns. It happens every year. Just sit back and know they’ll all get a chance.
More than any boost of Osweiler, who no one claims is having a great camp, wondering if this is mostly Hue’s message – to Kessler, Kizer and Sashi – that he doesn’t yet have the mediocre quarterbacking he’ll need to push this boulder up from the fetid swamp. Hue’s been fired before and knows that for all the preaching of patience he can’t have a QB stealing losses from potential ugly wins.
The concept that they’re showcasing Osweiler is stronger than the reality. Picture him playing well while Kessler is not and Kizer clearly isn’t ready: you then trade Osweiler and play …? And if he doesn’t play well in a meaningless exhibition game you’ve wasted those reps. Consider this possibility: the QB who starts the most games in ’17 may not be in camp right now.
Things I’ve read before the first exhibition game:
Grabapolo sucks and they should have traded him to the Browns for the first pick.
KC blew two 1st round draft choices on a guy who is 3rd on the depth chart.
Denver has two starting QB’s.
Browns should target Gabbert.
Hue’s an idiot for naming a starting QB that hasn’t had first team reps.
And they call March silly season.
Except, Cleveland is a 4-12 team that just drafted a rookie and doesn’t “need” a QB the way that an 8-8 or 9-7 teams NEEDS a QB when their QB goes down.
So it was a failure of negotiation, not that Cleveland “was not interested in trading.” Clearly, Cleveland was interested in trading.
Allbright’s take was Miami bailed on the talks as well. FWIW.
TRAED OZWINGER FOR GRABAPO9LO!!!
If he plays “well,” you don’t trade him. If he plays “good enough,” and someone is desperate, you trade him and roll with whatever QB you think might get you to this year’s benchmark. Haslam, as quick-triggered as his reputation makes him, is on record this year as saying the target for true competiveness is 2018/19. This year is a wash of sorts – not a 1-15 wash, but a 4-12/5-11 wash. The question is whether Kizer/Kessler/not-on-the-roster is good enough to get you to 5 wins. If not, then you still may not trade Osweiler; but I think it’s a good move to start him this week because it gives you the best “choose your own adventure” options.
So they can go 4-12 with the Os too?
They are going to eat most of his salary regardless, and maybe they get a 4th round pick. I’d rather have Os starting against the Steelers than Kizer. Kizer starting game 1 is truly flirting with disaster. For another Derrick Kindred, no thanks.
I think the Browns probably go 4-12 regardless of who’s at QB, and I anticipate the same cobbled committee that we’ve seen in past years. I think those wins (I hope for more) will primarily be credited to the defense and running the ball.
I also would rather Osweiler be the starter (and was one of the few marginally excited about the trade when they first made it). Don’t confuse my perception of what’s happening with what I want to happen (#TradeJoeThomas).
“Haslam, as quick-triggered as his reputation makes him, is on record this year as saying the target for true competiveness is 2018/19.” You can believe this, and even Haslam may today believe this, but Hue may not believe this will hold. Which is why coaches with losing records, horrible QBs and no receivers throw the ball over and over despite 100 reasons they should run the ball, for the sake of this game, next week’s game and next season. If Hue is secure this year he was more secure during last year’s tear-down, and still did crap that insecure coaches do.
Sure. I agree with this. I expect Hue to try everything he can to win 16 games, to include repeatedly throwing the ball against all odds (which might actually indicate that the guy should be fired – wow, I’m really going down this “FIRE HUGE ACTION” road before a single ball has been kicked in anger!) But I also think that they have an organizational understanding that a winning record in 2017 isn’t even close to likely. At least I dream of a true meeting of the minds. (I actually think there’s more evidence of this than the converse notion that Haslam can’t be trusted.)
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AND ALL TEH PICKZ!
do that and you’ve fallen RIGHT into Belichik’s trap.
My thoughts exactly. Additionally, I’m all for putting the 6’7 quarterback out there to absorb the majority of the hits during these meaningless preseason games, especially considering the number of concussions Kessler has already suffered.
They’re hiding Hogan.
“And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.” 1 Corinthians 12: 23-24
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Yes, and those particulars are what really matters. I’m not surprised that MIA wasn’t interested, especially considering that Cutler was available and open to signing there. I think most teams would rather pay $10M and no draft picks for Cutler rather than several million plus picks for Osweiler. And for the Browns, there really isn’t a reason to rush a trade either. Preseason hasn’t even started yet. Best case, injuries create a real market for Osweiler. Worst, you keep a guy who will most likely see playing time for you in one capacity or another.
Don’t people remember that it took all of three weeks to get to the third QB on the depth chart last year? We’ve had three starters for the past four seasons. It has been 16 years since a Browns QB started all 16 games in a season.
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The stick-figure man is going to play? Oh boy, I’m excited!
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What does God need with a fourth string quarterback?
Yoohoo. WWW, where aaarrre you?
Star Trek V…I win (with arms raised triumphantly in the air)…what I’m not sure. And, don’t answer that!
Been a long time since Catholic school. That one is about buttholes, right?
WAIT WAIT…that Gabbert thing. Someone SAID that?!
I was too stupid to figure out how to watch the scrimmage. But from what I read, Big O is the only QB who looked like he played in the NFL before.
…it’s a pretty low bar, but that’s where we are. Whither, Cody Kessler?
What if Hue really just wants to get a better look at Kessler versus Kizer and knows that the 1st string really only plays two series in the first preseason game. This gives him the opportunity to get more reps for Kessler and Kizer while diminishing the time given to Os. Just a theory.
Yes, it has been prophesied.
The Grabapolo article was the best. As the Browns are getting ripped for not scoring in a scrimmage, an NE blogger was blasting JG for the same, as well as not being able to stay healthy last year when they needed him. The comment above came from the comment section.
Jimmy-G was “THE NEXT TOM BRADY” when NE fans wanted to trade him for 1st round picks. Once they realized they want to sign him cheap next offseason, Jimmy-G is “SO OVER-RATED, TERRIBLE AND CANNOT STAY HEALTHY”
It’s actually about people, but the analogy is to, yes, buttholes, I guess. And other things. You know, whatever it is that you want to keep covered for modesty’s sake.
Well, sure, if you want to be “rational” about it . . .
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Wait. I think I did that wrong . . .
Got a fish, and a dog!
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Lost a hat
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