Brandon Weeden will be the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback not because he is the best option, but because there really is no other option. While the team did sign Jason Campbell to a contract, he is expected to be merely a backup and stay that way. The team is showing no valid interest in drafting a quarterback with their first pick, so as the Browns' open offseason workouts Monday, Weeden is the No. 1 guy, by default.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that Weeden will take all the snaps with the first-team offense as workouts begin. He is the assumed Week 1 starter. Weeden did not exactly blow anyone's expectations in his first season as a starter. While still splitting some playing time with Colt McCoy, Weeden threw for 3,385 yards and 14 touchdowns. He completed 57.4 percent of his passes, but he did throw for 17 interceptions. At 29-years old, he is not exactly looking like the future of the franchise.
The team is likely to trade McCoy in the upcoming weeks leading into the draft. He failed to pan out as a starting quarterback. If there is no trade interest, the team will release him. They did sign Campbell but only to backup money. He has started 71 NFL games, going 11-7 in his last two years in the league. If Weeden struggles, Campbell will step in, but he will not begin the season as the team's starting quarterback.
Cleveland is not interested in using their No. 6 overall pick for a quarterback, but it is still an option. While Geno Smith will be gone by the time the team picks, Matt Barkley is growing in popularity and the Browns could explore him as a valid option. In most mock drafts, experts have the Browns selecting a defensive player with their first pick. Linebackers like Dion Jordan out of Oregon or Barkevious Mingo are popular choices for Cleveland.
The Browns are taking the approach of establishing a starting quarterback early. While Weeden might not have the stats of a franchise quarterback, he spent the most time with the offense last season and is the obvious choice to start under center in 2013.
