Author: Peter DiPaola
Cleveland holds both the 1st and 12th picks in the upcoming NFL draft, and either one of those could potentially be used on a quarterback, but given the Browns history with taking quarterbacks in the first round it would be wise for them to not draft one in the first round, or not draft one at all. While this may seem odd because they did manage to 1-15 last season there are plenty of other needs they should address to improve their team, quarterbacks are the sole reason why a team goes 1-15.
Second year quarterback (3rd round pick in the 2016 draft) Cody Kessler and former Texans and Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler are players that have started games in the NFL. Brock has started 21 games in the regular season, all starts were during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Cody started 8 games last year for the Browns.
According to an article by Mike Florio, Brock Osweiler will have a chance to compete for the starting job, this coming around the same time that Cody Kessler said he we was ready to claim the starting job, according to a tweet from ESPN.
While Brock has more NFL experience (five seasons to just one), Cody will be entering his second year in Hue Jackson's system and in the 8 games he started last year he had 6 touchdowns to 2 interceptions, and had 3 games where he completed over 70% of his passes. Cody managed to do that on a team that was 1-15, in his first start in week 3 against the Dolphins, he completed 63.6% of his passes in an overtime loss, a game that the Browns could have won. His best game yards wise was when he threw for 336 yards and 2 scores in a two point loss to the Titans, a game in which he was sacked 6 times.
The promise he showed in those games and all the games he started should show the Browns that he should be given a chance to start this season so he can be properly evaluated and it gives the Browns a chance to spend whatever pick they have have spent on a quarterback on another area of need.
If Cody struggles or gets injured they have Brock Osweiler who really may not be around after this year in Cleveland because they can cut him after the season is over without having to shell out millions in doing so.
A team that goes 1-15 is an indication that they are young and are in need of talent and help on both sides of the football, drafting a quarterback high in the first round would not make sense. Cleveland should give Cody the chance to start and see what he can do. If he can play as well as he did last season and grow as the year progresses that would be of benefit to the Browns and would mean stability at a position that Browns have struggled at getting right.
ALL STATS ARE FROM: WWW.NFL.COM
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