Giants may get to face RG3

The Browns’ season is over, but intrigue still abounds as they hurtle toward a historic winless mark, and their enigmatic quarterback flier again is emerging for a team that had gone on without him.

Robert Griffin III has been cleared by doctors for noncontact practice. The former Redskin, on injured reserve since Sept. 12 with a fractured left shoulder, still must be “designated for return,” then placed on the active roster to play in a game, which won’t happen by Sunday against the Steelers, but perhaps could in time for Cleveland’s Nov. 27 home game against the Giants.

But whether Big Blue face Griffin may not be contingent on his health. Will the Browns turn back to him?

In the absence of the former Heisman Trophy winner, Cody Kessler has shown flashes of promise, albeit for an 0-10 team. Cleveland is taking a long look at the third-round pick out of USC and, more threatening for Griffin, likely will have the top overall pick in next year’s draft. The Browns have been infamously QB-deficient, and could roll the dice on a top pick.

Cleveland signed Griffin to a two-year deal last offseason after the Baylor legend’s star had risen and abruptly fallen in Washington. The pact was for $15 million, but with no guaranteed money in the second year. Cutting him would result in just a $1.75 million cap hit next year as a result of his signing bonus.

So the question becomes whether the Browns will give the 26-year-old a chance to audition for next season — whether for Cleveland or another team — or whether a team whose only seeming goal is to get one win would move on from a quarterback made of glass and give a further look at whether Kessler is more of an answer than whomever they would grab in the draft.