CLEVELAND, Ohio — The very short NFL career in Cleveland is over for quarterback Brandon Weeden. It was rumored to be coming, and the Browns made it official on Wednesday afternoon.
The Browns were not done after releasing Weeden.
Veteran Jason Campbell was also released. He was due a roster bonus of 250,000 on Thursday. Clearly with a new regime one could read the hand writing on the wall and know that Campbell would also be gone.
Browns General Manager Ray Farmer released this statement regarding Weeden:
“First and foremost, the Browns would like to thank Brandon and his agent for being true professionals. The circumstances in which he found himself were not easy for him or the team. After discussions with Brandon and his agent, we’d like to give him the ability to pursue other opportunities.”
Weeden was drafted by the Browns in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2012. He posted a 72.6 qb rating his rookie year and the hope was that year number two under the guidance of offensive coordinator Norv Turner, the results would be better. Not so. Weeden struggled even more so and he was sent to the bench.
For his short career in Cleveland, Weeden threw 23 td passes and had 26 interceptions. He averaged 222 yard through the air each game.
Most likely the big quarterback will latch on with some team as a back-up.
Regarding Campbell, the Browns released the following statement:
“We appreciate Jason’s contributions to the Browns in 2013. He’s a respected veteran player in this league. We felt like at this time, early in the free-agency period, we would give him a better opportunity to move forward. We wish Jason the best in his future endeavors.”
Campbell finished last season 1-7 as a starter after Brian Hoyer injured his knee and Weeden falter on a second chance. For the year, 11 touchdowns thrown and 8 interceptions. Campbell dealt with his own injuries, bruised ribs and a concussion.
