The Cleveland Browns cannot escape quarterback issues. The team entered the year with Josh McCown. Johnny Manziel tried his hand at the starting role before getting benched and now Austin Davis got time under center. The questions continue for the Browns and they simply will not stop as head coach Mike Pettine made it clear after the loss to the Baltimore Ravens that he had no idea who would be starting in Week 13.
Entering the game against the Ravens, McCown was listed as the starter with Davis as his backup. Following pictures of partying in Texas and then lying about the incident, Manziel was demoted to the third string option after being named the season starter just a few weeks prior. The Browns were hopeful McCown could get the job done and things were looking good until the quarterback left the game in the fourth quarter with a collarbone injury. According to ESPN.com, McCown left the stadium with his arm in a sling. Pettine told the media that McCown would undergo tests on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the expectation is that McCown is done for the year. So where do the Browns go from here? Davis took over for McCown in the game and put the team in position for what was supposed to be a game-winning field goal until it was blocked and returned for a touchdown. The crowd was chanting for Manziel to be put in, but he never saw the field. Now Pettine is faced with decisions.
"When we get opportunities to have three quarterbacks up, given where Josh was coming into the game from a physical standpoint, it was nothing other than that,'' said Pettine, via the Plain Dealer. "There is nothing to read into there. We had the opportunity from a numbers standpoint, given our depth at other positions. This isn't the first time this year we have had three up."
The future of the quarterback position is a mystery. Pettine noted that the benching of Manziel was not his last straw with the team. The head coach certainly hopes the quarterback pulls it together. McCown is not a long-term option. Could Davis be someone the team could rebuild on? According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, the Browns are expected to take a look at potential trade deals for Matthew Stafford while trying to win over someone like Kirk Cousins or Sam Bradford in free agency. One thing is clear, the Browns will get a good look at where their team is at in terms of depth to see who has a chance of sticking around.
