Browns to start Jeff Driskel at QB against Cincinnati Bengals, rest several other starters

BEREA — There's no gray area about how the Browns are approaching Sunday's regular-season finale at the Cincinnati Bengals with their playoff berth already secured.

"We're going to use this opportunity to rest some guys," coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday. "I feel like we've earned that opportunity with how we took care of business the previous week. As you guys know, with the roster limitations, you cannot rest everybody. So our full intent is to go down there, play well and get a win."

Stefanski wouldn't say exactly who would be among those getting a full-game's rest, saying "I'm not going to go through the roster or exactly who's in, who's out." However, there was one major exception: quarterback Joe Flacco.

Jeff Driskel, who was signed to the Browns roster Friday, will start against the Bengals (8-8). Driskel will be the fifth starting quarterback for the Browns, making them the second team to make the playoffs — joining the 1984 Chicago Bears — with five different starting quarterbacks.

"Jeff's a guy with the system knowledge from Arizona is helpful to get out there," Stefanski said. "P.J. Walker will be the backup. He's been great for us. He started in games and won for us, but just felt like this was the right thing to do for the team in this particular instance, to give Jeff an opportunity to show us what he's capable of as well."

There will be others besides Flacco who won't start, or even dress, against Cincinnati. Defensive end Myles Garrett, left guard Joel Bitonio, wide receivers Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore, cornerback Denzel Ward and kicker Dustin Hopkins all seem like prime candidates to rest due to injuries they've been dealing with over the last month.

One factor Stefanski does not sound like he's going to take into account is Garrett's quest for the Defensive Player of the Year. The All-Pro edge rusher is sixth in the league in sacks with 14, two off his franchise-record total of 16 from the previous two seasons.

"I mean, I don't know that Myles needs to do anything more on a football field to convince anyone how important he's been to our football team," Stefanski said. "Said it before, I'll say it again. I mean, he's the best player on the best defense in the National Football League. That counts for something. … So we'll see if he plays on Sunday. But I don't think that should be a determining factor in any way, shape or form."

Driskel was on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad, where he was under the tutelage of former Browns quarterbacks coach Drew Petzing, the Cardinals' offensive coordinator. He's spent the previous five seasons bouncing around four different teams: Cincinnati Bengals (2018), Detroit Lions (2019), Denver Broncos (2020) and Houston Texans (2021-22).

Walker started games in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers and in Week 8 at the Seattle Seahawks. He also came on in place of an injured Deshaun Watson late in the first quarter in Week 7 at the Indianapolis Colts and led the Browns to come-from-behind win.

Stefanski was non-committal about who would ultimately be the backup to Flacco once the playoffs start.

"I'd say fluid," Stefanski said. "I'm not going to name backups for the playoffs. Definitely want to know give Jeff an opportunity to get out there and see what he can do."

The Browns (11-5) have started Watson (six games), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (three), Walker (two) and Flacco (five), but are assured of the AFC's No. 5 seed. Each have won at least one game for a playoff team, something only one other team has done before.

The 1987 New England Patriots are the only team to have five different quarterbacks win a game since quarterback starts were first tracked in 1950. The Patriots went 8-7 that season, which was a strike year.

The 2015 Houston Texans, who won the AFC South at 9-7, are the only other team to make the playoffs with four different starting quarterbacks winning at least one game. Two of the Texans' four starters — Brian Hoyer (5-4) and Brandon Weeden (1-0) — were former Browns players.

The Browns go into the regular-season finale on a four-game win streak, all with Flacco as the starter. The 16-year veteran, who will be making his seventh playoff appearance, dismissed the thought of momentum being lost because starters sat out the regular-season finale.

Flacco's one Super Bowl win with the Baltimore Ravens in the 2012 season was also the only other time he could remember being held out for rest in the regular-season finale.

“I mean, hitting your stride definitely matters, but each week is its own," Flacco said. "I don't know if anything really matters besides getting in. Once you get in, it kind of starts over at that point.”

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jeff Driskel to be Browns QB at Bengals as several starters rest