I truly believed that the Browns were committed to Deshone Kizer, but they might be going down a different path than I originally thought. The Browns benched Kizer after the offense did not score in the first half on Sunday. He could come back to play in their next game, or he might sit on the bench because they are done with him. There are only two ways to look at this, and we need to figure out which way the Browns are going because it completely changes the draft.
They are finished
The Browns can demote and cut Kizer at any time, and they might get sick of him if they feel they need to start scoring.
There is nothing wrong with doing that if they believe that they can do better. That means that the Browns are going to start searching for a quarterback to draft, and the front office will completely shift the draft because they could have the first pick. The Browns could be completely in control of the draft, and they will have as many choices as they had last year. If the Browns are finished with Kizer, they probably did not wait long enough.
Sending a message
Players often get the message when they get benched because they see how terrible they were when they sat down and watched the team go on without them. There are a lot of talented people in the league who are used to getting whatever they want, and they were often the only good players on their teams.
Sitting on the bench reminds them that they can be replaced at any time. If Kizer goes back into the starting role in the next game, the Browns have to send him out there with an ultimatum that he is gone if he cannot get it together.
Starting a new culture
There are a lot of stories floating around about how Bill Walsh introduced himself to the 49ers when he got to the team.
A lot of the players thought that they did not need this college coach coming in and changing everything, and Walsh promptly reminded them that they were so bad most teams in the NFL would not have them. That is how he reminded the team that they had to shut up and listen. They won 5 Super Bowls in 15 years with the system that Walsh created, and that is why some players have to be put in their place.
If Kizer has been put in his place, I hope it works.
Hue Jackson's culture
Hue Jackson has a right to put all his players on a short leash, and that may be a part of his philosophy more than some nice anecdote about Bill Walsh. If that is the case, the Browns will be better for it. I feel bad for Kizer, but he has to improve, or the Browns could be really pathetic this year.
