The Cleveland Browns want to take their time developing DeShone Kizer. That much is clear.
Kizer looked good in leading two touchdown drives in the team’s preseason game against the Saints on Thursday night, but that doesn’t mean head coach Hue Jackson is ready to name him the starter for the next preseason game, much less the season opener.
“That’s too soon,” Jackson said Friday, via Cleveland.com. “I don’t feel very comfortable. There’s a process to all of this, and we’re just in the beginning phases of it for him. You want to do what’s best for your team and for your players, not just because a people see a bomb that’s thrown down the field for 45 yards. There’s more to playing quarterback than just that.”
Kizer was picked by the Browns in the second round, No. 52 overall. He has a lot of tools and traits, but even his college coach said he had a lot of development to do. That’s the same message Cleveland has preached throughout the offseason.
Brock Osweiler and Cody Kessler are the two other QBs on the team’s depth chart. At the least, they should be able to help the Browns buy time before throwing Kizer in.
Kizer was 11 of 18 for 184 yards and a touchdown pass against the Saints. Kessler was 5 of 10 for 47 yards, and Osweiler went 6 of 14 for 42 yards. This remains a situation to watch.
