Brandon Weeden turned 30 Monday, but told reporters he felt 40 after Sunday's debacle against the Detroit Lions.
Cleveland's quarterback threw a pair of picks -- including one of the season's ugliest interceptions -- in a 31-17 loss that dropped the Browns to 3-3 and raised questions about Weeden's ability to guide the team.
The loss of Brian Hoyer under center has sucked the air out of Cleveland's offense. In his two full starts, Hoyer displayed a knack for spreading the ball around and generating points. Weeden, by comparison, is a sluggish decision-maker who lacks touch.
There's a sense from Browns fans that this promising young team is off the rails with Weeden at the helm, but left tackle Joe Thomas says the locker room still believes in him.
"We definitely think he's the guy that can lead us this year to the playoffs," Thomas told reporters Wednesday, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. "We see all the good things he does and not just one play here or there."
We're exhausted by players on middling teams talking about the postseason, but this one's more about where Weeden stands with his teammates.
By all accounts, his audition with the Browns is over. It's crystal clear the front office: (A) preferred Hoyer and (B) will seek a young quarterback in the draft. Between now and then, Weeden has an opportunity to squelch the perception that he's not-for-long as an NFL passer, but that will require him to play mistake-free football and elevate the performance of those around him.
Easier said than done, especially from a quarterback -- now in his 30s -- who hasn't displayed those traits.
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