The Browns will hold an open quarterback competition this summer in training camp, and rookie DeShone Kizer has a chance to win it.
Those were the messages head of football operations Sashi Brown and coach Hue Jackson delivered Thursday during separate radio interviews. Brown appeared on ESPN’s Mike and Mike and Jackson on Cleveland Browns Daily.
After the Browns selected Kizer last week in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the NFL Draft, the organization’s bigwigs made it clear he would receive a chance to compete for the starting job, but their most recent statements about the topic were even stronger.
Cody Kessler is widely considered the leader in the clubhouse to start the regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. Brock Osweiler is likely second on the depth chart, followed by Kizer and Kevin Hogan.
“We were impressed with Cody last year,” Brown said on Mike and Mike. “He didn’t have the greatest circumstance to come into. Obviously, we had a couple injuries that forced him into play earlier than perhaps than we would’ve liked. But he really outfitted himself well and played well with courage and showed the accuracy we saw from him at USC. But he’s young still. Brock has played some. And Kevin, even, came into a game last year in Cincinnati and played some good ball for us.
“I think it’s going to be an open competition. Hue and [quarterbacks coach] David [Lee] will decide ultimately who our starter will be, but we’re excited about all three of those guys, and DeShone coming into that room to give us a fourth opportunity for a guy who may become our starter. But I think the spring and certainly training camp will help us iron that out.”
Asked on Cleveland Browns Daily if there will be an open quarterback competition in which he’ll give three players equal repetitions and see who emerges, Jackson said, “You said it best. I have to allow these guys to compete.”
Jackson also gushed about Kizer, 6-foot-4¼ and 233 pounds.
“He has the characteristics that we as an organization covet,” Jackson said. “He’s a big man. He has the AFC North stature that I love. He has a big arm. He’s very intelligent. He’s played in a real big-time football program. He understands the demands of playing the position. He understands the demands of being a quarterback and the face of the franchise.
“There’s some work to be done. We’ve got to coach him from the ground up. We understand that. But we’re working with a guy that’s very talented. This is a guy who has a skill set that’s going to allow us to push and prod and get him to where he needs to be.
“We’re not going to force it. I don’t think we’re going to rush to stick him out there but, at the same time, I’m not going to stop him from being out there if he demonstrates those skill sets very quickly.”
Brown said the team will give Kizer “an opportunity to develop and a chance to compete to be our starter. We’re not going to rush him into anything but feel like he’s a great developmental prospect for us. David Lee and Hue Jackson are great developers of quarterbacks, so it’ll be an intriguing opportunity for him and for us.”
Kessler is viewed as the early favorite party because he’s the only quarterback on the roster who has had significant playing time in Jackson’s offense.
He went 0-8 as a starter and suffered two concussions last season when he was a rookie third-round pick. He completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,380 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions with a rating of 92.3, but his lack of arm strength prevented him from establishing the deep threat Jackson wanted.
Kessler said last month he has worked in the weight room and tweaked his mechanics on the field in an effort to improve his deep passing this offseason.
“He’s stronger,” Jackson said. “The ball is stronger. He looks more compact and stronger in the pocket when he’s throwing the ball. We’ve just been in drills and those type of things, but I can tell that he has really worked extremely hard this offseason.”
Legal mess
Brown, a graduate of Harvard Law School, further explained on Mike and Mike why the Browns chose to gamble by drafting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley in the sixth round (No. 185) despite a woman accusing the prospect of punching her in the face April 13 in Gainesville, Fla.
Brown said there are two sides to the story and “some corroborating witnesses on the side of Caleb.”
Brown also said Brantley hasn’t been formally charged with misdemeanor battery, contrary to what’s widely been reported.
“We’ll see what the prosecutor’s office does here, but that was another thing,” Brown said. “There was no warrant issued for his arrest. There was an allegation of what happened. So we did our diligence.”
Brown reiterated the team is conducting its own investigation and may cut Brantley depending on its findings.
“We do understand that we’ll have to live with the consequences potentially if facts turn out too negatively for us to have him on our roster,” he said.
Brown said the organization won’t make a decision until the legal process unfolds.
“We don’t want to prematurely rush to a judgment or presume that we have all the facts, so [we’ll] wait to let the process play out and do as much work on it as we can and then make a decision,” Brown said. “With these legal processes, sometimes they take longer than anticipated. But we do anticipate in the next several weeks that some resolution will come.”
The Tampa Bay Times reported Thursday the woman who accused Brantley of hitting her has a new legal team.
One of Brantley’s attorneys, Huntley Johnson, told the Tampa Bay Times last week the woman’s previous lawyers wanted to settle the case, but Brantley declined.
Brantley is scheduled to report to Browns headquarters May 11 for rookie minicamp, which will run May 12-14.
Rookies reach deals
The Browns announced they agreed to terms with 11 undrafted free agents.
Michigan cornerback Channing Stribling headlines the list. NFLDraftScout.com analyst Dane Brugler assigned Stribling a fifth-round grade.
Another name stands out because of a local connection. After playing at Ohio State, Jamal Marcus transferred to Akron and was a defensive end the past two seasons for the Zips.
The other undrafted free agents who struck deals with the Browns are Illinois State linebacker B.J. Bello, Louisiana State guard Josh Boutte, Northern Illinois linebacker Ladell Fleming, Kentucky cornerback J.D. Harmon, Maryland cornerback Alvin Hill, Southern California tight end Taylor McNamara, Brigham Young safety Kai Nacua, Colorado linebacker Kenneth Olugbode and Northern Iowa defensive end Karter Schult.
Stepping up
In March at the NFL owners meetings, Jackson said he challenged Corey Coleman, the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft, to fill the void created by Terrelle Pryor leaving in free agency and become the team’s lead wide receiver.
Jackson provided a progress report on the team’s radio show.
“Corey has walked in the building and has taken a leadership role amongst that group [of receivers],” Jackson said. “That’s exciting for me to see.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.