Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will start his first NFL game this weekend, a team source told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora on Thursday.
It would take a dramatic turn of events with Jake Delhomme or Seneca Walllace -- both of whom are nursing ankle injuries -- for things to change, according to the source. Neither player was able to practice Friday.
Blogs: Heavy dose of Cribbs?
Rookie QB Colt McCoy is in line to start Sunday, but the Steelers expect to see WR Joshua Cribbs take plenty of snaps in the Browns' Flash package.
Browns coach Eric Mangini said Thursday that he was pleased with McCoy's first practice as a potential starter, but stopped short of officially announcing him as his starter Friday. The coach said his lean is "more pronounced" to the rookie quarterback making his NFL regular-season debut Sunday in Pittsburgh against the blitz-happy Steelers.
Mangini said he is happy with McCoy's progress and that the third-round draft pick would take the bulk of the snaps during practice Thursday.
McCoy will be the 16th different quarterback to start a game for the Browns since 1999. The team re-signed Brett Ratliff this week off the New England Patriots' practice squad as a backup, and with the way things are going for Cleveland, it's not farfetched to think he could see some playing time if McCoy is hurt or struggles.
Wallace doesn't know when he will be able to play, but he believes the former University of Texas star can hold down the fort until he returns.
"He played at Texas, it's like America's Team, like the Dallas Cowboys," Wallace said of McCoy. "He's been in the limelight before. It's not college, you're going to Pittsburgh. It's going to be tough, but with his type of character and the kind of person he is, he'll be able to deal with it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
