Mike Pettine names Josh McCown the favorite for Browns QB

A year ago the Browns left things open to competition between Brian Hoyer and rookie first rounder Johnny Manziel. After a lackluster showing by both, Hoyer defaulted his way into the gig. A year later, Hoyer is gone, but his elder, journeyman placeholder Josh McCown, has been tabbed as the clubhouse leader. At least in the early going according to Browns coach Mike Pettine who wouldn’t go so far as to say he’ll start the season. Whether you like Josh McCown or not, it makes loads of sense to put him at the top of the leader board to start considering the off-season in recovery for Johnny Manziel. Pettine spoke on the topic during rookie camp.

On saying that QB Josh McCown will go into training camp as No. 1 on the depth chart, if that will stay the same going into OTAs and why he will be No. 1:

“Yes, because of his experience.”

On how much QB Johnny Manziel has to do to make it a quarterback competition:

“To me – and it’s what I’ve said on Johnny so far – we want him essentially with horse blinders on. Focus on his job, getting up every day, perfecting his craft… whatever it is – homework that the quarterbacks have or come out and working on his footwork, his releases. He’s much more concerned about himself really than anything else. We’re not going to start talking competition. Josh, like I said, will more than likely be the starter going into camp and the foreseeable future. I don’t see that changing.”

On the No. 2 quarterback spot:

“Those guys have been alternating reps, all three of them – Johnny, Connor and Thad (Lewis). They’ve been rolling those guys. I’m sure (quarterbacks coach) Kevin (O’Connell) and Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) will come up with a rotation when we get going.”

On if he wants Manziel to have the blinders on because of his time in rehab:

“Yeah, I just think we’re too close to him getting out. I think it’s just too early to start expanding what we’re asking to do and what we’re wanting to get involved in. It’s baby steps here at this point. It’s a new system. He’s getting used to a new quarterback coach, a new coordinator. There’s plenty on his plate, and there’s plenty of football that’s going to occur between now and the start of the season for us to make an evaluation.”

On McCown being successful in Chicago two seasons ago but struggling last year in Tampa Bay:

“I’ve talked about this before. We feel much more comfortable with Josh. There were a lot of circumstances. I’m not going to get into them talking about what happened in Tampa, but we’re comfortable. Obviously, we were comfortable here because we brought him here and signed him. We’re going to see more of the Josh McCown from Chicago than we did from the Josh McCown in Tampa.”

While Pettine is talking about McCown, the only thing that I can think of that speaks more loudly is the Browns drafting Cameron Erving and Duke Johnson. I also think of the off-season additions of Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe. All those moves speak much louder than any quote about Manziel or McCown because those moves were presumably made to ensure that whoever ends up being healthy and talented enough to win the job won’t be asked to do too much.