Colt McCoy Headed To Cleveland Browns, Let The Learning Begin

As the Cleveland Browns future franchise quarterback makes his way to town, fans already are making comparisons between Colt McCoy and former quarterback Brian Sipe.

Brian Sipe was drafted in 1972 by the Cleveland Browns, taking over the team in 1975 as a starting quarterback. Like McCoy, he was listed at 6'1", but weighed less than McCoy's current 216, tipping the scales at a whopping 195 pounds.

Sipe went on to become one of the Browns most popular and successful quarterbacks since Otto Graham had taken snaps and won championships in the 1940s and 1950s.

Sipe played 10 years and finished with a 74.8 QB rating, throwing for more than 23,000 yards and 154 touchdowns.

McCoy enters the league in a different era, but the challenges remain the same. The quarterback is expected to get the ball downfield and make plays.

Should McCoy see the field this year, he would be playing behind an offensive line that includes Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and second-year center Alex Mack, who had about as good a rookie season as anyone could've hoped for.

The right side of the line improved as 2009 went on, and third-round pick Shawn Lauvao almost certainly will contribute this year on the right side.

But that's all very speculative because McCoy's year will be spent on the sidelines holding a clipboard and learning, if all goes according to plan.

But that's okay because Sipe didn't sniff the field until the Browns were well into the 1974 season, two years after he was drafted.

That worked out pretty well for Sipe's career.

The only Sipe comparison to keep off the board in the future would be playoff appearances against the Oakland Raiders. The last thing the Cleveland Browns fans need is another version of Red Right 88.