Rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer threw two more interceptions Sunday, bringing his league-leading total to 14. He also lost two fumbles as the Cleveland Browns fell to 0-10 by virtue of their 19-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Though Kizer has been benched on multiple occasions during this lost season, head coach Hue Jackson says he's going to ride out the final stretch with his second-round draft pick at the helm.
"Where we are right now, I need to continue to see him. Let's let him play. Let's let him play this thing out," Jackson said at his postgame press conference.
"As long as he is healthy, let's keep putting him out there. I want to walk away from this season knowing exactly what DeShone Kizer is top to bottom. I think he deserves that."
With the worst record in the league, the Browns are in position to take the best talent available in next year's draft. Such a pick would allow them to draft one of the heralded college quarterbacks expected to declare.
If Kizer plays the rest of the season, Cleveland's brass will be in a better position to determine whether they should use that top pick to find a different quarterback to develop or to add talent elsewhere.
Jackson said there's "no question" Kizer could be the franchise quarterback.
"I know this is tough for him. Week in and week out, it is the consistency he has to keep chasing. He just has to keep working at it," he said.
