The Browns' quarterback competition remains as open as the rest of the team's position battles, but Hue Jackson wants a resolution before the team's first preseason game.
Jackson, speaking at a Thursday press conference alongside executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown and chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, said picking a starter before the Browns' Aug. 12 preseason opener at Green Bay is "just the right thing to do."
"Whoever earns that job is going to earn it out there on the field," Jackson said. "We're going to go through a process pretty soon. It's going to show itself really quickly.
Asked about the nature of the competition and how repetitions would be dispersed over the first few practices, Jackson said the Browns have open competitions at every position, perhaps with the exception of nine-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas at left tackle. The Browns used five quarterbacks throughout OTAs and minicamp and will utilize four starting Friday, as Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Austin Davis and rookie Cody Kessler will work closely with Jackson and associate head coach - offense Pep Hamilton in their pursuit of the starting gig.
Griffin, whom the Browns signed in March after his four seasons with the Redskins, and McCown, who started eight games for the Browns last season, took a large dose of the repetitions with the first-team offensive line throughout the spring.
"I know everybody's wanting me to say 'here's the guy' but I still want to get out here with our players because all of them are going to have to earn a starting spot as we move forward," Jackson said. "We're going to hit the ground running tomorrow and start practice and start evaluating that position and all positions moving forward.
"You guys will be sitting here two weeks from now and we'll be ready to go."
