The Cleveland Browns lost out on the Robert Griffin III sweepstakes and was never in it when it came to Matt Flynn. Team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert both confirmed last week that Colt McCoy will likely be the team's starting quarterback in 2012.
Holmgren said on the radio in Seattle today that the team looked at up to 12 quarterbacks this offseason, but only because he thinks quarterback competition is healthy, not that McCoy isn't his guy.
The decision to stick with McCoy is a divisive one among Browns fans, so let's take a look at the pros and cons of keeping him under center in 2012.
Pro:
McCoy has only played in 21 games
How is it a "pro" that McCoy is so inexperienced? Because that excuses his mistakes somewhat. Twenty-one games in any system is not enough time for a quarterback to get used to the pace of the professional game.
With more time under center, McCoy will have a better chance to develop. Pull him as starter and he'll never have that opportunity. At the very least, Heckert, Holmgren and head coach Pat Shurmur might as well let him play out the third year of his four-year contract as the starter they ostensibly wanted him to eventually become when they drafted him in 2010.
Con:
McCoy regressed in 2011
Blame the lockout or credit McCoy for having a bit of extra luck that overrode his still-developing talent, but McCoy's 2011 looked little like his 2010 season, in which he managed impressive victories over difficult teams despite throwing just six touchdowns to nine interceptions.
McCoy had 13 starts in 2011, compared to just eight in 2010, but his completion percentage and yards per attempt dropped even though he had more time on the field.
| Year | G | Comp% | Yds | Yds/Att | TD | INT |
| 2010 | 8 | 60.8 | 1,576 | 7.1 | 6 | 9 |
| 2011 | 13 | 57.2 | 2,733 | 5.9 | 14 | 11 |
Those two stats are particularly telling when it comes to a quarterback's development, and that kind of a step backward is worth being concerned about.
Clearly, a full offseason working with his offense should be of help to McCoy. Familiarity yields comfort, and comfort begets improvement—or at least that's the hope when discussing an NFL quarterback.
Pro:
The Browns as a whole regressed in 2011
These "pros" keep sounding like backhanded compliments, but I promise they're not. The fact that the Browns had a wholesale regression in 2011 can be linked to many things, not just McCoy, though as the quarterback he ends up fielding the majority of the criticism.
From bad offensive line play to the de-coronation of running back Peyton Hillis (who contributed to McCoy having a fairly successful rookie outing in 2010), from a defense that couldn't stop the run. He also lacked a true No. 1 receiver, let alone a competent receiving corps; the 2011 Browns did McCoy few favors as a starter.
This is cold comfort for Browns fans. On one hand, at least McCoy isn't to blame. On the other, the whole team needs improvement if McCoy's going to have success as a starter. They'll need to dedicate themselves to building around him this offseason, because a quarterback alone does not a team make.
Con:
The Browns may be resigned to failure
The 2012 regular season is around six months away from kicking off, but already the Cleveland Browns are doomed to another 4-12 (or—gasp!—worse) record. At least it seems that way, if you read the headlines from analysts and beat writers alike.
Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository has already suggested the team not worry about 2012 and hang their season on the hopes they can land USC's Matt Barkley in next year's draft.
Again, the Indianapolis Colts didn't give up in 2011 just to draft Andrew Luck and it's absurd to think the Browns are consciously planning out their 2012 season in order to nab the highly-rated Barkley next year.
But it's hard not to look at the Browns and scratch your head.
If building around McCoy is their plan, then what are they going to do about offensive line, wide receivers and running backs? Free agency is barely a week old, yes, but top players are already spoken for and there are only so many sure-thing starters the Browns will be able to draft this year.
Another bad season for the Browns might mean they can draft Barkley next year, which is all well and good. But another bad season for McCoy and he can kiss his hopes to start anywhere goodbye.
Pro:
Consistency is key
The Browns have had a carousel of quarterbacks since re-forming as a franchise in 1999, so having the same quarterback starting for two seasons in a row will do nothing but good for overall team morale.
Yes, morale doesn't equal wins, but making a change at the position doesn't necessarily do so either. Even if they do go for Brandon Weeden or another quarterback in this year's draft, it's likely just to provide depth and a backup for McCoy, not direct competition.
The more experience McCoy can get as a starter, the better his chances are for improvement. With a difficult West Coast offense laid out before him, mastery takes time. The Browns are better off seeing how McCoy evolves, at least for one more season, before yet again including the quarterback position in their ever-ongoing rebuilding plans.
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