Browns QB coach: Rookie Kizer not ready to start

The Cleveland Browns caused a mild stir when they installed rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer on the first-team offense for portions of practice early during minicamp. Head coach Hue Jackson insisted it was much ado about nothing, but nonetheless, it led to talk that Kizer could be climbing the quarterback depth chart.

However, Browns quarterbacks coach David Lee threw cold water on that notion on Thursday, saying he's still helping the second-round draft pick iron out his fundamentals.

"He's got a great future. He's just a long way from being ready," Lee said, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. "He's not ready, but he's climbing on it, and he's making progress."

Lee said Kizer possesses an "extremely strong arm" and owns one of the most beautiful releases, two characteristics that made him a highly touted prospect out of Notre Dame.

Regardless, the Browns are showing caution against throwing Kizer to the wolves too quickly.

"You would love to not put him in there till he's ready, but we don't know when that is right now," Lee said. " ... So when (will he be ready to start)? I don't know. But when I look out there and I see him miss a protection call and he gets hit upside the head, I know he's not ready. That doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, you can't put him out there and endanger the team as well as get him killed."

So it appears the starting competition will be between sophomore Cody Kessler and new signee Brock Osweiler. Both pivots have drawn plenty of praise from Browns brass. Lee called Osweiler a "pleasant surprise" and said Kessler knows the offense the best.