The Cleveland Browns may choose to shuffle their quarterbacks once again for their season finale. But this time, it will be by choice and not due to injury.
The Browns head into a Week 18 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals with nothing at stake. Cleveland has locked up the No. 5 seed in the AFC and will play the AFC South champion. The Bengals have been eliminated from playoff contention.
It’s a rare position for the Browns to be in, but it gives the team a chance to rest some of their key players. That includes 38-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco. He’s passed for more than 300 yards in four consecutive games and has shaken off any rust he may have had from sitting on his couch for the first few months of the season.
If Flacco does not suit up, they’d start either PJ Walker or recently signed veteran Jeff Driskel. The Browns lost $230 million franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson to a season-ending shoulder injury in November. Rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is also done for the year with a hip injury.
“Working through all those things,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on January 1. “[Driskel] is a guy that we felt good about bringing in. [Alex Van Pelt] has been with him before when he was in Arizona. So, there’s a lot of carryover from what we do and what they do in terms of terminology. With Dorian’s injury, getting a guy in here that we felt good about, but we’ll see on all that.”
If Driskel starts, it would give the Browns an opportunity to win games with five different starting quarterbacks. Cleveland is already the first team in NFL history to win at least 10 games in a season with four different quarterbacks earning at least one win.
Jeff Driskel an Interesting QB Option for Browns
Getty ImagesThe Browns signed quarterback Jeff Driskel to the active roster.
Starting Driskel could have implications beyond his being a Week 18 spot starter for the Browns. He was signed to the active roster — not the practice squad — and could potentially unseat Walker for the backup role.
Walker has seen time as the starter for the Browns this season, officially going 1-1 in his starts. He also played the majority of a third game against the Indianapolis Colts that the Browns won.
Walker struggled with turnovers when he got on the field. He tossed 5 interceptions and lost a handful of fumbles.
Driskel — who comes in at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds — is in his eighth NFL season out of Louisiana Tech. Originally a sixth-round draft pick by the 49ers in 2016, Driskel has some starting experience.
Browns Undecided on Resting Starters Against Bengals
Getty ImagesBrowns head coach Kevin Stefanski is undecided on resting his starters.
Resting some starters seems like a logical move for the Browns. But Stefanski has remained on-brand ahead of the season finale, not revealing what direction the team is leaning.
“We’re working through all those things,” Stefanski said. “We’ll have a plan, obviously. We want to finish strong, so we’ll have a plan moving forward, but I’ll update you guys as we get going through the week.”
The Browns have won four games in a row. Momentum can be a powerful asset heading into the postseason. But considering the injuries the Browns have sustained this season, getting key players rest should be a priority.
“You’re just trying to make what is in the best interest of your football team, whether you play your guys, rest your guys, and as you know, you can’t rest everybody,” Stefanski said. “There are roster limitations to that. We took care of business last week, but we have to finish strong. That’s our mentality, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The Browns are a 4.5-point underdog against the Bengals for the Week 18 matchup.
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Browns Considering New Starting QB for Season Finale