If there is one thing that is necessary for a quarterback competition, it is confidence. Brian Hoyer is certainly not lacking in that department. As the Cleveland Browns enter into the 2013 season, they have yet to commit to a quarterback. Brandon Weeden did not exactly impress last year and Jason Campbell does not have much experience outside of being a backup. Enter journeyman Hoyer, who says this is a competition that he can win.
Hoyer may or may not be a realistic option to start for the Browns given his lack of playing time, but the quarterback is not letting that diminish his confidence.
"No doubt I have the capability to be a starting quarterback," Hoyer said.
As of now, Hoyer is third on the depth chart. Weeden sits at the top since he is the returning starter and Campbell sits behind him in second. It will certainly be an uphill battle for Hoyer, but he believes his experience playing behind New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady has prepared him to be a starter in the league.
"Yeah, definitely, and it's funny because it was a great opportunity for me to play behind Tom and learn, be he's a guy who never wants to come off the field. It doesn't matter if we're up by 40 points, so the seldom times I did get to play I think I took advantage of those and then last year, getting the start against San Francisco with only being there for three weeks and I played pretty good.
Hoyer is a five-year pro in the league and has bounced around from team to team. He spent a majority of his time in New England before heading off to Arizona for a season. In his career, he has seen playing time in 15 games, throwing for 616 yards and two touchdowns.
Hoyer has spent some time with the first-team offense, looking comfortable in two-minute and red zone drills. He has yet to hear what the Browns have planned for him, but is enjoying the ride while it lasts. It is likely that he remains the third-string quarterback after the team released Thad Lewis.
The Browns quarterback competition is anyone's game so Hoyer truly has a chance to win the spot. Head coach Rob Chudzinski is not ready to name Weeden the for sure top guy, so if Hoyer impresses, he could see himself starting Week 1.