This is DeShone Kizer’s team now.

 

It has been such since Wednesday when Browns head coach Hue Jackson named the rookie the starter for Saturday night’s third preseason game against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The first-teamers will have their longest stint of the preseason, playing at least a half and possibly also into the third quarter.

 

Jackson said earlier that the starter of the third preseason contest would likely also start the regular-season opener against Pittsburgh on Sept. 10. He went on to explain that if everything goes OK – Kizer doesn’t stink up the place and he doesn’t suffer a debilitating injury – then he will indeed be under center against the Steelers, and for the foreseeable future.

 

So, then, the KIzer era has begun. However long it lasts is yet to be determined.

 

It was never going to be the Brock Osweiler era or the Cody Kessler era even if one of those two was starting against Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. Why? Because everybody knew they never had any chance to be the franchise guy. They had the chance in training camp and the preseason to win the job but failed miserably. Kizer, on the other hand, saw the opportunity and seized upon it. That’s why he’s starting.

 

Kizer under center is what the Browns all along envisioned happening when they picked him in the second round, at No. 52 overall, in the NFL Draft. They just didn’t know when that would occur. They didn’t expect it to be this early, but they’re comfortable with it.

 

But for Kizer to be successful, then the offensive line has to open holes in the running game to keep the Browns out of second- and third-and-long situations in which the defense can pin its ears back and go after him with the pass rush. And when that pass rush comes, whatever down and distance it is, the line has to build a wall around him. So the line is the key, absolutely, positively no question about.

 

If Kizer is running for his life most often than not, then so, too, will the first-team offense, which, for a variety of reasons – one of them being Osweiler starting and struggling the first two games – has not done much in the preseason.

 

It will be fun – and hopeful, cautiously optimistic so – watching it all play out.

 

As such, when’s the last time you could say that about the Browns offense and a young quarterback?

 

And please, please, don’t answer that by saying it was when Johnny Whatshisname was partying in the pocket.