Browns quarterback carousel spins on

When Robert Griffin III was named starter for the Cleveland Browns, the hope was if he could stay healthy, he could end the long-time revolving door at quarterback for the Browns, dating back more than a decade.

That hope lasted exactly one game, with Griffin being placed on Injured Reserve Monday with a shoulder injury.

Griffin was the Browns' 25th starter since returning to the league in 1999. The good news is Josh McCown, currently tied for 11th in starts among the 25 QBs, has a great chance to climb the list the rest of the seson.

Upon returning to Cleveland ahead of the 1999 NFL season, the Browns were rebuilt by an expansion draft and through the league's annual draft. The franchise was given the first-overall selection of the yearly draft and took quarterback Tim Couch, who had starred at the University of Kentucky.

Couch took over as the team's starter after just one game, seizing the job from Ty Detmer, but he, and the Browns, struggled in their rookie season, with the quarterback posting just a 2-12 record in 14 starts. He threw for 2,447 yards with 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while being sacked a ridiculous 56 times.

Couch opened the 2000 season as the team's starter, but suffered a broken thumb after a 2-5 start to the year. Prior to the injury, he owned a 7:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but had thrown for 1,483 yards with a completion rate of 63.7 per cent – a significant improvement from the 55.9 per cent mark he posted as a rookie. Current Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson took over the starting job and went 1-7, while Spergon Wynn made one start, posting a loss.

In 2001, Couch began to show improvement as he started all 16 games for the Browns and went 7-9, finishing third in the AFC Central. He threw for a career-high 3,040 yards though his touchdown-to-interception ratio sat at a disappointing 17:21. Still, there was reason for optimism with the .500-mark within sight for the rebuilt club.

The following season, Couch went 8-6 as the team's starter, while missing two games due to injury, and the Browns edged out the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos for the AFC's final wild-card spot. However, in the team's final game of the regular season, a 24-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons, Couch suffered a broken leg. Kelly Holcomb started the team's lone playoff game and threw for 429 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in a losing effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That effort was strong enough to kick start a quarterback controversy on the shores of Lake Erie.

Holcomb opened the 2003 season as starter and posted a 2-6 record on the year, Couch didn't fare much better in his eight starts, going 3-5 as the Browns failed to return to the postseason. Couch did not play another snap in the NFL after the 2003 season.

In the 17 seasons since returning to Cleveland, Couch is the only quarterback to start games in four different seasons for the Browns. His exit from the franchise kicked off a rapid turnover rate at the position, which has continued into this offseason. In total, 24 quarterbacks have started for the Browns since '99.
 

The Browns' failures at the position are not due to a lack of effort, however. Each player with a bolded line in the chart above was selected by the Browns in the first round of an NFL Draft.

The most recent two, Brandon Weeden and Johnny Manziel, each lasted just two seasons on the Browns roster before being cut. Weeden was released after his 0-5 sophomore campaign, while Manziel showed some promise, posting a 2-6 record in spot starts, but was released due to off-field concerns. Brady Quinn, selected in the first round in 2007, lasted three seasons but failed to make a start as rookie.

The team has three other quarterbacks under contract for the 2016 campaign; Josh McCown, Austin Davis and Connor Shaw. They may add at least one more player at the position, via free agency, trade or the draft, leaving the position fully unsettled entering Hue Jackson's first season as head coach.

Griffin could excite a fan base desperate for a star to emerge on offence, but he could also become just the latest name in a long history of letdowns. Should the former Baylor star return to his rookie form, the Browns could outperform their low expectations for the season. But, he also comes with a great deal of risk. His numbers have declined since the devastating knee injury he suffered in the 2012 Wild Card Round and he hasn't made a start since December 2014. He was beaten out for the Redskins' starting job by Kirk Cousins last season. The quarterback has also drawn character concerns, at times being labelled as a diva in the locker room.

Adding Griffin could also be a benefit for the Browns entering the draft. With Griffin as their Week 1 starter, the team may be more comfortable taking one of the defensive stars on the board with the No. 2 overall pick over either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz, the two top-rated quarterbacks. The Browns have no shortage of needs, especially after losing four key starters in free agency. Settling the quarterback position, at least temporarily, could pay long-term benefits in a rebuild.