With quarterback Josh McCown‘s shoulder injury set to keep him on the shelf for at least the Browns’ game against the Dolphins on Sunday, head coach Hue Jackson said Monday that Cleveland is on the hunt for signal-callers.
“Regardless what the situation will be with Josh, it’s important we get another arm on our football team as fast as we can,” he said (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com). “It’s too important. Too many things can happen this weekend.”
The only healthy quarterbacks under Browns control are two rookies: third-rounder Cody Kessler, who looks primed to make his first career start this week, and fifth-rounder Kevin Hogan. The Chiefs drafted Hogan, an ex-Stanford Cardinal, and ultimately released the 23-year-old Sept. 3, leading him to join the Browns’ practice squad.
“We’re going to get a chance to see Cody play, and we wish it wasn’t like this, but this is how it is,” said Jackson.
Kessler, formerly of USC, entered the season as the Browns’ third-stringer behind Robert Griffin III and McCown. RG3 could be out for the year after suffering a shoulder injury on opening weekend, however, which pushed McCown into action in Week 2 against the Ravens. The Browns blew a 20-0 lead en route to a 25-20 loss, one that dropped them to 0-2, though it didn’t help that McCown was playing through excruciating pain. Fortunately for McCown and the Browns, his injury is not as serious as Griffin’s, but the club will still need help at the position until the veteran is able to return.
As Cabot notes, free agent possibilities include Michael Vick, Jimmy Clausen and Jason Campbell. Jackson is fond of Campbell, per Cabot, as he coached the former Browns passer in both Oakland and Cincinnati. However, the 34-year-old was committed to retirement as of late August. And while Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor played QB at Ohio State and has NFL experience at the position, Cleveland doesn’t seem to view him as an option, according to Cabot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Very impressive! From a 20-0 lead to a 25-0 loss, huh? Now they’re even taking points away from the Browns during the game?
Fixed it. Thanks.
Johnny Manziel
Isn’t he in jail yet?
This headline could have been used at any point over the last 17 years.
You’re not wrong.
Jason Campell? Please, no.
Connor Shaw should be available.
Nope. He’s hurt.
At least the Browns are seeing great development from CoCo and Nassib. The new regime is doing a great job unlike the way the media thinks about this team
Yeah, the media…
Browns fans live such a pathetic existence. Kudos to you for sticking with your squad, though. It might just pay off for your kids’ kids one day, but even that isn’t a given.