The Cleveland Browns hope they have their quarterback of the future in DeShone Kizer, but coach Hue Jackson admitted that the rookie will need time to adapt to an NFL offense.
Jackson said Kizer has not played in a “sophisticated” offense before and will need to work in order to become NFL-ready.
“He’s very bright, that’s not an issue,” Jackson said of Kizer, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “You have to remember he was a young man playing in the shotgun probably 90 percent of the time and had not played under center and had not played really in a sophisticated pro-style offense.
“He did some really good things today, but you have to do it again and again and again. The consistency of playing quarterback in the National Football League at a high level is a challenge. We will see if we can get him there. Today is just the first day.”
Kizer will be moved along slowly during his rookie season, and he won’t face any expectations. From what Jackson says, it sounds like they know he’s not at all ready to start yet, but that he has enough talent and willingness to learn that he might be eventually.
