Cleveland Browns: What if Kizer plays well in '17 but QB still goes in round 1 in 2018?

The Cleveland Browns have a decision to make regarding when their rookie quarterback will start.

Of all the quarterbacks on the Cleveland Browns‘ roster, rookie DeShone Kizer provides the most hope and optimism for the future. That is all great and all, but if he continues to show that he could play in 2017 and doesn’t then Cleveland would be in an awkward situation.

Would the coaching staff and front office feel that Kizer has done enough to bypass the temptation of drafting a quarterback in round one of the 2018 NFL Draft? The regular season has not even started yet, but that won’t stop such speculation and intrigue.

Cleveland will need to have a firm idea of whether or not Kizer could be their guy or not sooner rather than later. There is no reason why that won’t happen.

Now, I am not saying he must start, but provide him snaps (at the very least) in games where the winner is evident and he plays in garbage time.

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Let’s say Kizer does play and plays well. Such a result would be very beneficial. Of course it would be better if Kizer is able to do as a starter (that is of course Browns head coach Hue Jackson believes he earned that right).

Cleveland is not going to eclipse the 8-8 mark in 2017. More than likely it will be a few games short of that. Regardless, the Browns should be in a position to draft a quarterback very early in 2018 either via their own first rounder or the Houston Texans’.

From USC’s Sam Darnold to Wyoming’s Josh Allen, very good options are expected to be available.

If Cleveland actually did add another quarterback (even with Kizer’s assumed progress), then what would that mean in terms of the QB competition? Remember, Jackson told Cleveland media about how we should trust him with Cody Kessler.

Unlike the former USC signal-caller, Kizer has more tools to work with as a rookie. So, adding a Darnold, Allen, etc., would only bring out the best at the position. Like other positions, teams add quality depth and in turn plays the best players to win games. The same deal would be the case with the quarterbacks.

If both Kizer and that rookie looked promising, Cleveland could parlay them into even more draft picks. I understand it is an unlikely scenario, but the majority of the Browns’ bigger moves were not made many expected.

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This is just one of many what if scenarios in how Cleveland could view Kizer and the 2018 QB draft class. In an ideal world, Kizer will have shown what he can do in front of Browns personnel (whether that is in games or in practices) to dispute this possibility or at least consider it later. Time will tell as he gets more comfortable as the weeks and months progress.

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Cleveland Browns: What if Kizer plays well in ’17 but QB still goes in round 1 in 2018?

By Ryan Rosko | Aug 18, 2017

The Cleveland Browns have a decision to make regarding when their rookie quarterback will start.

More from Factory of Sadness