CLEVELAND (AP) – Browns coach Mike Pettine will start quarterback Brian Hoyer ahead of rookie Johnny Manziel in Cleveland’s second exhibition game.
Pettine said Thursday that Hoyer will begin Monday night’s game in Washington against the Redskins. Pettine says the team is “comfortable” with Hoyer starting and that “it’s little overblown as to who the starter is going to be.”
Hoyer and Manziel will both get snaps with Cleveland’s starting offense. The two quarterbacks have been competing for the starting job since training camp opened last month.
Hoyer started the preseason opener at Detroit and Manziel, the popular first-round pick from Texas A&M, only played with the second-stringers.
Pettine wants to name his starter for the Sept. 7 season opener at Pittsburgh before the Browns’ third preseason game on Aug. 23.