QBs Kessler, McCown both trying to get ready

Associated Press

BEREA

Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler and the Browns are approaching this week as if he’ll start Sunday on the road against the Tennessee Titans, but the plan is not set in stone.

Kessler is still in pain after suffering an injury to the left side of his chest and rib area in Sunday’s 33-13 loss to the New England Patriots, and veteran quarterback Josh McCown is getting ready to play, too.

“It is still pretty painful,” Kessler said before Wednesday’s practice. “But it has gotten progressively better each day, which is a positive.

“My mindset is, ‘I’ll be able to start Sunday.’ But it is hard to say with the game being a couple days away.”

Kessler and McCown practiced on a limited basis. They both looked good while throwing the ball during the 20-minute portion of practice open to reporters. It was McCown’s first practice since he suffered a fractured left collarbone Sept. 18 in a 25-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He said Monday he expects to be ready to play Sunday.

After practice, coach Hue Jackson said it was still too early to talk about which quarterback he would start for the Browns (0-5) if both were healthy enough to face the Titans (2-3).

“Cody, right now, is the starter on our football team until I feel otherwise,” Jackson said. “We’ve got to make decisions about where they are towards the end of the week. We’ll see that as we go.”

Jackson also made it clear he doesn’t want to rush Kessler back too soon. How his body responds to practices this week and what the medical staff says will be major factors.

“It’s important that we always do the right thing about our players, especially our young players. We don’t want to put them in a situation where we can injure them more,” Jackson said. “I think the development of our young players is really important all the way through.

“I want guys to be tough but tough to a point to where they understand this is about longevity. It’s about being able to be available for your team for a duration of time. So we’ll make sure that he, if we do stick him out there, he’s really ready to play.”

Kessler didn’t make any guarantees he would be ready by Sunday.

“I’m taking it day to day right now,” he said. “That’s the plan 1/8to start 3/8. That’s my goal, obviously to be ready to go on Sunday. But I’ve got to get through practice first and go day to day and just see how it feels getting the full rep practice today, getting to throw with pads on and see how it feels.”

When the Browns had practice off Tuesday, Kessler threw. He admitted to feeling discomfort.

“There are not a whole lot of movements that make it too sore,” he said, “but throwing is obviously one of them.”

Whether Kessler or McCown receives the nod, Jackson said he doesn’t anticipate the quarterback decision coming down to game day.

“It’s important that our team know who the quarterback is,” Jackson said. “When you’re coming off injuries like that, just got to kind of see where everybody is. After practice is normally when things start to on their bodies either break down or get better. So we’ll get a feel for where they are after today and into tomorrow.”

Kessler started the past three games and performed well in each of them after Robert Griffin III (fractured left shoulder Sept. 11) and McCown were injured in the first two games. Then Kessler was hurt Sunday when Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower blitzed between center John Greco and right guard Alvin Bailey without being blocked and crushed him with 1:20 left in the first quarter. X-rays were negative.

“I started feeling pain in the chest, rib area,” Kessler said. “I kind of got shortness of breath. It was just really uncomfortable.”