Brian Hoyer: I want to be Cleveland Browns' No. 1 QB

In normal civilization time, it wasn't long ago that Brian Hoyer was making plays in NFL games that count.

But in Cleveland Browns time, Hoyer's ascension to the starting job seems like a generation ago. Hoyer tore his ACL in October. Since then, the coaching staff, general manager and CEO have all gone away. Brandon Weeden -- Hoyer's predecessor and successor in the starting lineup -- might soon be history as well, if he gets his wish.

So where does that leave Brian Hoyer? The Browns' new regime is likely to select a quarterback high in the 2014 NFL Draft, but Hoyer isn't ready to give up the job he seemed to claim last fall.

"My goal is to be the starting quarterback again," Hoyer said Thursday, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. "That's what every day I come in here and work towards, and it's definitely a motivation for me."

Hoyer has two things working against him. First, it's becoming increasingly common for rookie quarterbacks to start immediately in the NFL. If the Browns were to draft Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles or Teddy Bridgewater, Hoyer likely would end up holding a clipboard.

The second issue is Mike Lombardi. The erstwhile GM was the driving force in Hoyer coming to the Browns. With Lombardi gone, Hoyer lost his No. 1 supporter in the organization.

"Mike Lombardi was a big reason I came here," Hoyer said. "He had a lot of faith in me, and I'll always appreciate what he did for me to a point where not a lot of people believed in me. And I'll always look to prove him right."

Hoyer expects to be ready for organized team activities in April. We'll see if he gets a fair shot of getting his job back.
