BEREA, Ohio (AP) RG3 hasn’t convinced Browns coach Hue Jackson he should be No. 1 just yet.
While quarterback Robert Griffin III has made steady improvement in his first practices with Cleveland, showing some of the flash that made him a star in Washington, Jackson isn’t ready to name him his starter.
”He’s made tremendous strides,” Jackson said Wednesday as the Browns completed their final practice before holding a minicamp next week.
”He’s getting better and growing each and every day. I’m very proud of the work he’s put in. It hasn’t been perfect all the time, but it’s been really good. I see glimpses of it being extremely good and that’s what we’re chasing and that’s at every position.”
The spotlight is already on Griffin, a former rookie of the year with the Redskins who didn’t play at all last season. Cleveland is giving him a chance to resurrect his career and the 26-year-old appears to be making the most of it.
Wearing an orange No. 10 jersey, Griffin had some good and bad moments during Wednesday’s workout in unseasonably warm conditions at the team’s training facility, which like Griffin is undergoing a makeover of its own.
Griffin made a few crisp throws and others that weren’t quite on the mark as he shakes off rust from not playing.
Jackson is being patient and said now is not the time to start handing out jobs at positions where there is competition. Griffin is battling former starter Josh McCown and rookie Cody Kessler to lead Cleveland’s offense.
”I’m seeing the improvement out of the whole group that I’m looking for, but we still have a little bit more that I need to see to feel very comfortable and confident in saying, `This is our guy,’?” Jackson said.
”I think they’re all competing extremely hard and extremely well. I feel very comfortable that we have enough candidates at the position that people are starting to emerge.
”But again, I want to feel very good, me, myself, along with our staff about naming that guy ’cause it’s more than just playing the position.
”I hope we all understand that. There’s more to it than that. There’s a lot of different hats that that man wears, and I have to make sure for our football team, for our city, for our opportunity to win that we make the right choice and not just the fast choice.”
The Browns were scheduled to practice Thursday, but Jackson cancelled it so the players – and coaches – can participate in the team’s charity golf outing.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
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