The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Coach still not ready to name starting QB
Jackson says starter will be chosen before first exhibition game
At a news conference July 28, Jackson promised that decision will come within two weeks.
Hue Jackson must be one of those guys who slowly steps into the water one toe at a time before finally getting his whole body wet before swimming.
The Browns offseason program began in early April. Training camp begins on July 29 and Jackson still isn’t ready to name his starting quarterback. But that decision will be made within two weeks. Jackson made that promise during a news conference July 28 in Berea.
“Whoever earns that job is going to earn it on this field,” Jackson said. “We’re going to go through a process here pretty soon. It’s going to show itself really quickly. It would definitely be before the first preseason game.
“We’re going to hit the ground running tomorrow and start a practice and we’ll start evaluating that position as well as all of the positions as we move forward.”
Jackson said the only player with job security is left tackle Joe Thomas. The 21 other starting jobs are up for grabs.
Robert Griffin III remains the favorite to win the starting quarterback job because he took most of the first-team reps in OTAs and minicamp in June. His competition is coming from 37-year-old Josh McCown and rookie Cody Kessler. Technically, Austin Davis has a chance.
Griffin is 5-15 as a starter since
being NFL Rookie of the Year in 2012 with the Redskins. McCown is 2-17 as a starter the last two years and Kessler obviously hasn’t played a down in the NFL.
Jackson said he has not determined how the practice reps will be divided between Griffin and McCown. It might be 60-40, 50-50 or some other division.
Jackson was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator the last two years. He went into camp each year knowing Andy Dalton would be his starter, so Dalton took virtually every snap. The problem with putting off naming a Browns starter
until the preseason opener in Green Bay Aug. 12 is whoever wins the job won’t get as many snaps as he would if the starter had already been declared. Plus, a new offense is being installed. The delay affects the other players on offense as well as the contending quarterbacks.
“Obviously you wish you knew so you could give the guy all the reps that he needs. But we’re not at that point yet,” Jackson said. “I think there’s still a little time as we go through the start of training camp before that decision has to be made. I don’t want to rush into anything until I think we’re getting close to that point to have to do that. I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”