Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III will make his return to the field this week. Griffin has been out since Week 1, when he suffered a shoulder injury during the team's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The team has lost each of its 10 games with Griffin out, cycling through Josh McCown and Cody Kessler under center, while also giving fill-in snaps to Charlie Whitehurst, Kevin Hogan, and even wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. At different times throughout the season, coach Hue Jackson has committed to one quarterback or another for the remainder of the year, but none of those commitments have stuck.
Instead, Griffin is expected to return to the starting lineup against the Cincinnati Bengals. It's a place he hopes to remain not just for the final four games of the season, but into the future as well.
"I don't know, coach could wait until Sunday,'' Griffin said when asked if Jackson told him he'll start, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "That's why he's got the HC on his hat and we all trust him in this locker room. I trust him, and it's just a matter of do they feel I'm ready to play or do they feel like I need to take some more time. So whatever their decision is, I'll be OK with it because I'm here to be a Cleveland Brown. I'm here to help this team, not just these last four weeks but into the future.''
The Browns are obviously on their way to securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, where they'll have their choice of any college player in the country -- including any of several quarterback options. The team eschewed taking a top quarterback prospect last season, instead selecting Kessler in the third round and signing Griffin to be the starter.
It has been rumored that they could do something similar next offseason as well. Griffin is signed for one more year, after all, and the 2017 quarterback class is considered a relatively weak one. It's not like the Browns don't have tons of holes to fill elsewhere on the roster anyway.
