The right thumb of Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden may or may not be “really screwed up,” but it doesn’t appear to need surgery to get him back to full health.
Weeden went to see a hand specialist to find out the extent of the damage to his thumb and Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that he’s been told that he doesn’t need surgery. According to Schefter, Weeden could be ready to get back on the field as early as next week.
That would mean a decision for Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, who has already said that Weeden is guaranteed nothing more than consideration for the starting job in the weeks to come. A quick return could work in his favor if Brian Hoyer struggles in his start against the Vikings this weekend, although the full criteria for the decision remain known only to the Browns.
If Weeden isn’t in Cleveland’s long-term plans, and the fact that he could lose his job after two weeks largely because of injury suggests he isn’t, then they could move in almost any direction at quarterback while setting their sights on 2014 and beyond.