Robert Griffin III vs. Josh McCown: Updates on Browns' QB Battle

The Cleveland Browns addressed the quarterback position this offseason by rolling the dice on Robert Griffin III to battle with veteran Josh McCown for the starting job. Now the team must decide who will be its starting quarterback when Week 1 rolls around.

Continue for updates.

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RG3 Expected to Be Named Starter 

Monday, Aug. 8

ESPN's Bob Holtzman reported Griffin will be named Cleveland's starter, and the announcement could come as early as Monday. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that an announcement could take place Monday or Tuesday.

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported on Aug. 3 that all signs pointed to Griffin being named the starter for the Browns, and it wasn't even a real competition:

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Jackson Comments on Timeline for Naming Starter, RG3

Tuesday, Aug. 2

Browns head coach Hue Jackson said the team is "getting close" to naming a starting quarterback, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

When asked about Griffin's progress on July 28, Jackson told reporters, "Contrary to what some people think, he was getting there and has done a good job.''

Jackson added he plans to name the team's starter before the Browns' first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 12.

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Brown Comments on McCown's Progress

Thursday, July 28

"For us it's about Josh wanting to make a change," Sashi Brown, the Browns' vice president of football operations, said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "We'll find out [very] quickly if he's serious. Can't force him to change."

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RG3 Believed to Be Leader for Browns Starting QB

Thursday, June 30

As seen in the following video, courtesy of CSN Mid-Atlantic, Cabot is under the impression that RG3 is in the lead:

Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com provided a transcription of Cabot's comments:

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I think the odds are very, very high [that Griffin starts Week 1]. They want him to be the starting quarterback on day one. They're not going to have a short leash on him at all.

[Browns head coach] Hue Jackson and [offensive coordinator] Pep Hamilton are all in on RG3. They are trying to do everything they possibly can to coax that 2012 type of season out of him again. They see those flashes of greatness, they love the skill set, the mobility, and all those kinds of things. They think they can coach him up into the kind of player who can not only scramble around and get out of the pocket and make crazy things happen like that, but also to stay within the pocket, read the defense, go through the progression. Hugh really believes in himself and what he's been able to do with quarterbacks since he's been in the league and he feels that he can be successful with RG3.

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Browns Need Griffin or McCown to Provide Leadership This Season

Griffin was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and reached the Pro Bowl in 2012 with the Washington Redskins, but he hasn't started a game since 2014 due to injury and ineffectiveness.

Griffin hasn't been the same since suffering a severe knee injury during the playoffs in his rookie campaign, but the former Heisman Trophy winner has proved to be an elite talent when healthy and on his game.

The soon-to-be 37-year-old McCown is a journeyman who is playing for his seventh different NFL team.

He started eight games for the Browns in 2015, and although he went just 1-7, he put up solid numbers with 2,109 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions.

McCown already has a rapport with several players on the Browns offense, including tight end Gary Barnidge, who is coming off a career season.

Griffin is still trying to acclimate himself, but he may prove to be the best option if going a full year without taking a regular-season snap helped heal the ailments that hampered him in the previous two seasons.

Cleveland's quarterback issues over the past several years are well-documented, and while Griffin may not be the answer in the end, his potential and relatively young age give the Browns some semblance of hope that he can finally provide the stability under center that they have lacked for so long.

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