Browns coach Hue Jackson said on Wednesday that he wanted to see how Robert Griffin III did in practice this week before making his decision about who will start at quarterback.
By the time Thursday rolled around, Jackson had seen enough to make the call. The Browns announced on Thursday morning that Griffin will be in the starting lineup against the Bengals this Sunday.
It will be Griffin’s second start of the season. He started the season opener for Cleveland, but has missed the last 11 games after breaking a bone in his left shoulder during that loss to the Eagles. He resumed practicing over the last few weeks and will now return to the lineup with hopes of leading the team to their first victory of the season.
He’ll also be trying to prove his worth as a starter after losing his job in Washington to Kirk Cousins in 2015 and landing in Cleveland as a free agent this offseason. He’s under contract with the Browns for next season, so a good close to the year could put him ahead in the battle for the job in 2017.
Griffin’s injury history and the play of the Browns’ offensive line are among the reasons why that’s a hard bet to make, but Griffin will get his chance to prove otherwise starting on Sunday.