Photo: SportsBlooded.com
- Troy BallardIt didn't take long for Colt McCoy to be de-throned from his starting quarterback perch in Cleveland.
As the news broke that the Browns officially named newly drafted rookie Brandon Weeden, who is actually three-years older than McCoy, the starter for the upcoming season — few were surprised.
McCoy's good-favors in Cleveland had come to an end last season — his first as a starter.
The Browns were very transparent going into this latest draft, having basically the most laid-out strategy in the entire NFL. The checklist went as follows: running back, wide receiver and.. a quarterback. The latter wasn't sure-fire, but the rumors surrounding a Weeden-Cleveland marriage heated up exponentially as the draft neared.
Sure enough, after drafting Alabama stud Trent Richardson, the Browns snagged Weeden — completing the offensive backfield. And from the moment that Weeden's name was called, it became evidently clear that McCoy was finished.
However, not in the sense that his carrer was totally over, but in the respect that any future as a starter in Cleveland had totally evaporated. The Browns gave him his shot with the starting job, and in the 13-games he played, he didn't get it done.
McCoy didn't get it done — with no running back (remember the Peyton Hillis debacle?) and a receiving corps that had the overall talent of a UFL squad. Not to mention that the kid was rocked with a concussion, one that went undiagnosed for an entire half in a game against the Steelers.
In reality — his numbers weren't too shabby for what he had to work with. Nothing stellar, but with the talent that surrounded him, he had a decent season for a developing quarterback that is trying to learn the ropes.
But in the NFL, and especially for teams that are desperate like the Browns, there's only one number that matters: wins.
Forget about developing and growing as a young quarterback. Don't even think about having a sub .500 record during your first full season as a starter. Anything less than being a one-man army is absolutely unacceptable.
That's the kind of deal that the Browns gave McCoy.
Now, he has been bumped down the depth chart in favor of the next rookie quarterback to hit the scene in Cleveland. A player that killed it in college, much like McCoy, and was praised incredibly highly coming into the draft. Weeden is the newest talent that been pegged as the future — like McCoy was one short year ago.
Browns, what happens when Weeden doesn't get the job done either?
That's right — there's another quarterback in another draft and one more set of unrealistic and lofty expectations. Keep it up. Take one look and see how far this reckless strategy has taken the team.
Here's to hoping Weeden's the one, and that McCoy wasn't the one.
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