The narrative is being written. Cleveland Browns first-round pick Brandon Weeden had "the look of a No. 1 quarterback" according to The Plain Dealer at Tuesday's minicamp. Weeden is the one meeting with the media after practice. Colt McCoy is an afterthought.
Jeremiah: Worst-to-First, AFC
Going from last to first in one year is an NFL specialty: Who's got the best chance to do it in 2012? Daniel Jeremiah ranks all four AFC cellar-dwellers. **More ...**
Weeden is being sold. The other options Cleveland had at quarterback this offseason are being discredited. Veteran beat writer Tony Grossi reports that the Browns only pursued Robert Griffin III "enough to say that they tried." Griffin was viewed as "too small" and "eager to show how fast he was."
The Browns didn't like Matt Flynn either: "No bigger than McCoy with a similarly popgun arm. He was never seriously considered."
Or Ryan Tannehill: "His maturity as a quarterback and field leader were so lacking that he turned them off in personal interviews. He didn't project as a leader."
Weeden, according to the narrative, emerged as the best option. We could swallow this entire story a little better if it didn't suggest that the Browns actually preferred Weeden to giving up picks for Griffin. That's revisionist history. (The Browns' lack of interest in Flynn and Tannehill, on the other hand, was apparent.)
We have no idea if Weeden can be successful as a 28-year-old rookie starting quarterback. He will get a chance to try. Grossi says Weeden has the strongest arm the team has seen in years and his accuracy is reminiscent of Bernie Kosar.
Now all Weeden has to do is show he can keep that accuracy when tackling is allowed. And, you know, when he faces defenses other than the Browns.
