Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler will start for the Browns (0-2) on Sunday when they visit the Miami Dolphins (0-2), coach Hue Jackson said Monday.
"It’ll be Cody," Jackson said. " ... Obviously, he’s the next guy up. So Cody will be out there playing. There’s no doubt about that."
ESPN first reported the news.
Kessler will fill in for Josh McCown, who suffered a left shoulder injury Sunday in a 25-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson ruled out McCown for the Dolphins and said he'll be week to week after that. Jackson said McCown is dealing with a shoulder/clavicle injury, which isn't "totally broken" but is "a deep sprain." Last year, McCown suffered a season-ending broken clavicle on Nov. 30.
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Kessler, a third-round draft pick from the University of Southern California, will become the third quarterback to start for the Browns in as many games. Robert Griffin III started the Sept. 11 regular-season opener, but he suffered a fractured bone in his left shoulder in the 29-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Browns chose Kessler in the third round despite most draft analysts projecting him as a late-round pick or an undrafted free agent. On draft weekend, Jackson boldly told fans "trust me" about the selection.
"Well, you’re going to trust me this weekend," Jackson said. "Here we go. Here we go, right? So trust me, here we come. We’ll see what that statement was all about."
Kessler, who struggled throughout the preseason, will become the 26th starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999.
"I've seen him do some good things," Jackson said. "I've seen him do some things he needs to improve at. I've seen him have a string of completions up to 10, six, eight. We've all seen that. But I think I haven't seen him play live. I don't think you really learn about players until you really play them in these real games, so we'll find out a lot about him this weekend."
Jackson admitted he didn't want to throw Kessler into the fire this soon.
"I wouldn't want it to be this way, but it's going to be good to get out and see him play," Jackson said. "At the same time, it's been two weeks and there's two different quarterbacks going down. Like I said, pretty soon maybe I'll be playing, and I say that in all fun. But at the same time, you don't want it to be this way. But that's the nature of the sport. Sometimes things just don't go your way. So we've got to fight like heck to get it back our way. We're going to get a chance to see Cody play, and we wish it wasn't like this, but this is how it is.
Could it be detrimental to play Kessler if he's not ready?
"Sometimes it doesn't matter if you're ready or not," Jackson said. "You've got to play. In this situation right now, you've got to play. It doesn't matter if you're ready or not.
"I don't know if it'll stunt his growth. But it's either going to improve it or do something to it, right? I understand what you're saying, but something's going to come from it. Something good or something bad. One or the other. We're going to figure it out this weekend, though."
The 2008 Kansas City Chiefs were the last NFL team to start three different quarterbacks in the first three games of a season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They went 2-14. The last time the Browns started three different quarterbacks in their first three games was in 1988, per Elias. They went 10-6 and made the playoffs.
Jackson said right guard John Greco will start at center in place of Cameron Erving (bruised lung), and backup Alvin Bailey will start at right guard.
Jackson said rookie defensive end Carl Nassib suffered a broken hand, will undergo surgery, will sit out against the Dolphins and will be week-to-week after that.
Jackson said safety Ibraheim Campbell has an injured hamstring and tight end Randall Telfer is fine despite leaving Sunday's game with a neck injury.
The Browns will likely sign a veteran free-agent quarterback to back up Kessler. Jackson said the team will work out some quarterbacks on Tuesday. The team also has rookie fifth-round pick Kevin Hogan on its practice squad, and Jackson said there's a chance he could be promoted to the active roster.
Jackson said signing a backup center is also a possibility.
"We're up against the wall a little bit," Jackson added.