The Browns are feeling better about the chances of quarterback Cody Kessler playing this week, and he may soon have some company.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Josh McCown has been cleared to practice Wednesday after his Sept. 18 broken collarbone, edging their first Plan B closer to the lineup.
“Practice first, right? He has to practice first,’' Browns coach Hue Jackson said of McCown. “He’s going to go out there and throw it around and move around and see how he feels. . . .
“We will have three guys standing out there. We’ll be able to pick somebody out of the group.’'
He was half-joking about that last part (we think), but the Browns season has been the usual meat-grinder for quarterbacks there. Robert Griffin III is on injured reserve, then McCown got hurt, and then Kessler took a hard shot to the chest and ribs in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots.
That left Charlie Whitehurst (who suffered some degree of knee injury) and even wide receiver Terrelle Pryor taking snaps, since Brian Sipe was not available. But they’re hopeful Kessler will be able to go this week against the Titans.
“As I said, there’s nothing broken [for Kessler],’' said Jackson. “There’s a good chance that he’ll have an opportunity to be out there this week. . . .
“I’m talking about the game. Hopefully, the game. Yeah, if he is going to practice, I would hope that he has a good chance to be in the game, too.”
Of course, the Browns need any and all options at the position, and the way this season has gone, they’ll likely need more.