Brandon Weeden vs. Colt McCoy: Which QB Fits Best for Cleveland Browns?

The Cleveland Browns used the 22nd overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft on Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden, and despite some back-and-forth on a potential trade, continue to hold the rights to incumbent starter Colt McCoy.

The Browns must now make a decision on which quarterback is a better fit for the team, both next season and down the road. In the eyes of Browns GM Tom Heckert and vice president Mike Holmgren, that quarterback is almost certainly Weeden. 

The writing has been on the wall for McCoy's hold on the position ending, even before the Browns used a first-round pick on Weeden Thursday.

For most of this offseason, Heckert and Holmgren were non-committal about naming McCoy as the Browns starter in 2012. And even after Cleveland passed on free-agent quarterbacks such as Matt Flynn and Alex Smith, it looked like a solid bet that the Browns would use one of its three top-40 picks on a player to take McCoy's job. 

This obvious realization came after the Browns gave McCoy ample time to show he was worthy of the starting job long term. Over two years and 21 starts, however, the former Texas quarterback simply wasn't good enough. 

In eight starts during his rookie season, McCoy completed 60.8 percent of his passes and threw six touchdowns against nine interceptions. While the Browns went just 2-6 in those starts, the two wins came against the New Orleans Saints and New England—both eventual playoff teams in 2010. 

While McCoy's performance in each was underwhelming—he was just 9-of-16 for 74 yards against New Orleans, and 14-of-19 for 174 yards against New England—the two upset wins gave Browns fans some hope that the third-round pick could be the answer at quarterback Cleveland was so desperately looking for. 

However, the 2011 season came and went without McCoy ever taking the next step.

The starter for the Browns' first 13 games, McCoy completed just 57.1 percent of his passes as Cleveland limped to a 4-9 record. In Week 13, the Pittsburgh Steelers ended McCoy's season with a nasty hit that resulted in a lingering concussion.

In the end, that Thursday night game in Pittsburgh could be the last time we see McCoy start a game for the Browns. 

There's no need to sugar coat the situation. Any NFL quarterback with six wins in 21 starts and a 74.5 career passer rating would have trouble holding onto a starting job. That task gets a hundred times more difficult by introducing a first-round quarterback into the mix.

McCoy isn't likely to have the backing of either his general manager or head coach.

Heckert and Pat Shurmer were far from shy about their desire for Weeden to be the starting quarterback on day one in Cleveland.

"We've added three (offensive) players and we expect them to compete to start and contribute what we hope to be immediately," Heckert said over the weekend, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. "We'll see how it plays out."

Shumer added more on Weeden:

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He's displayed the ability to get his team in the end zone and win games. We all know the importance of the quarterback position and we're addressing it to the point that we have a guy that we think is our guy as we move forward.

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The Browns' urge to insert Weeden as the starting quarterback prompted reports Friday and Saturday that the team could deal McCoy for a sixth- or seventh-round pick, but no trade ever materialized. It appears to be a safe bet that McCoy will be retained through next season.

Even if he's kept on the Browns' roster, McCoy will have a hard time beating out the 28-year-old Weeden for the starting job. While not in the same sentence as Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III in terms of NFL-ready quarterbacks, Weeden should be plenty capable of taking over the position next season. 

Weeden's scouting report from Wes Bunting of National Football Post gives credence to the former Oklahoma State quarterback being the guy that is better fit to run Cleveland's West Coast offense. 

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A strong, well put together quarterback with a live arm and the ability to make all the throws with ease...Displays sneaky athleticism for his size and exhibits a natural feel inside the pocket. Keeps his eyes down the field when he feels an outside rush, can maintain balance when stepping up and throw absolute darts all over the field...Can really spin the football on all levels of the field and exhibits good accuracy and ball placement both in the intermediate and vertical passing game. Anticipates routes well down the field, snaps his head around quickly when working off play action from the gun and can fit the ball in tight areas on time with receivers. Also, displays "plus" touch vertically down the field, routinely drops the football into the outstretched arms of his target and looks comfortable using the same throwing motion. 

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Bunting's scouting report reads to me one thing: Weeden has the skill set as a quarterback that McCoy could only dream of. At this point, the only factor that McCoy may have an edge on Weeden is in experience. But that shouldn't hold the Browns back from going through some of the ups-and-downs with Weeden as a first-year starter. 

When the dust finally settles on the quarterback competition, Cleveland will find themselves in an enviable position.

Weeden, a first-round pick with all the tools you're looking for in a starter, will take over the reins for a franchise that needs better play from the quarterback position to crawl out of the AFC North basement. But they'll also have a young, capable backup in McCoy in case plan A doesn't pan out. 

Overall, the Browns got a lot better at the quarterback position this weekend. Weeden is the piece, however, that will determine whether or not Cleveland got better as a football team. Expect him to be the immediate starter in 2012.