Hue Jackson: 'Way Too Early' to Talk About DeShone Kizer Starting for Browns

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson pumped the brakes on talk of rookie DeShone Kizer being the team's starting quarterback this season when asked about it Thursday.

Kizer looked excellent in the Browns' 20-14 preseason win over the New Orleans Saints by throwing for 184 yards and one touchdown, but Jackson was far from ready to anoint him, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN 850 WKNR:

"I think it's way too early to talk about that. Let's see it for what it was: the guy made some plays at the end to give us a chance to win, but there's still things he needs to do better. I'm sure he's the first to tell there's so many things to clean up. He's got a lot of work to do, but a night like tonight will give him confidence."

Kizer was fairly accurate in completing 11 of his 18 pass attempts, and he came up big with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter by hitting Jordan Payton for a 45-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-2.

The rookie out of Notre Dame outplayed his competition in the starting quarterback race, as Brock Osweiler was 6-of-14 for 42 yards and Cody Kessler was 5-of-10 for 47 yards.

Most expected Kizer to be a first-round pick entering the 2016 season, but he struggled for the Fighting Irish and fell to pick No. 52 in the second round.

Cleveland selected Kizer as a developmental project, but with mounting pressure to find a competent quarterback of the present and future, he could force Jackson's hand.

The Browns haven't had a winning record since 2007 and haven't reached the playoffs since 2002 with poor quarterback play being one of the main culprits.

Kizer's next opportunity to impress will come when the Browns host the New York Giants on Aug. 21.