Written by Dave Kolonich

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Remember all that talk about “reshirting” Colt McCoy during his rookie season? 

Three ankle sprains later, so much for “best laid plans” and healthy, competent QB play.  Enter McCoy into a season that is moving dangerously closer to a tipping point – as the 1-4 Browns prepare to take on one of the best teams in the league. 

But it could be worse, right? 

Actually….longtime readers of this site probably already know my opinion regarding McCoy – and this was before the preseason happened.

Draft Watch 2010: Quarterbacks

As many of you remember, McCoy was considered as either a “steal” in the third round, or a good “value pick.”  However, as I exhaustively argued back in March, such arguments are proven meaningless when the actual player has to play.

In McCoy’s case, the fact that he was a third round draft pick – as opposed to a first – will not make a bit of difference if he is completely overwhelmed on Sunday.

Or, to quote….well, myself….

As dangerous as this new fiction may appear to be, perhaps even worst is the way the discussion is being framed. What happened to the most basic types of questions possible? 

Something like this:

Do you want to build your offense around Colt McCoy?

And not this:

Is Colt McCoy a better pick in the 3^rd Round, than he is the 2^nd or 1^st?

Or even better:

Is Colt McCoy a better QB because he was drafted in a lower round?

Of course, McCoy actually playing renders this discussion completely meaningless.  What a shame for us who only had one purpose for McCoy during his season of inactivity - which was to serve as a means for speculation. 

Now, we actually have to watch him play.

Which in the short term is horrific news…for a variety of reasons.

1.  Without a healthy Peyton Hillis to rely on, the Browns’ already sluggish offense loses its only form of consistency.

2.  If you thought that Seneca Wallace was on a tight leash, just wait until you see McCoy play.

3.  Speaking of which, “Checkdowns” are the new “10-Yard Slants.”

4.  And you thought Brady Quinn “played small?”

5.  God, I’m so depressed.

However, on the bright side, the Browns as an organization may be performing a bit of a proactive task by inserting McCoy into the starting lineup.  Of course, it’s not like the coaching staff or management had much of a choice.  After all, Bruce Gradkowski is already a starter and Ken Dorsey is retired.

Yet. the silver lining in what initally appears to be an utterly depressing development is that now is the time to see just what the Browns have in McCoy.  Considering the current state of our Browns – particularly regarding injuries and a brutal upcoming schedule – the front office needs to start thinking about 2011.

And I think you know what I mean here.

So in the spirit of the future, let’s hope the next several games will make some small determination regarding just who this team’s QB of the future is.

If McCoy is this player, then so be it.  If not, then the 2011 QB Watch is on. 

However for now, while I – along with many of you – remain overly skeptical of a small-framed, weak armed QB from Texas being able to do anything on an NFL field, let’s at least give him the benefit of the doubt.

With an eye towards the future, of course.