weeden.jpg

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden hopes to return to the starting lineup this season. (Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer)

(Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

BEREA, Ohio -- Brandon Weeden, who's lost his starting job to Brian Hoyer, is proceeding as though he'll be starting again this season.

"I'd be lying if I said this was the ideal situation,'' said Weeden, who participated fully in Monday's light practice. "I want to be out there. You never draw it up that you’re going to get hurt Week 2 and stuff like this happens. But it’s life. You can’t feel sorry for yourself.

"I’m treating it like this is still my football team, I’m still involved in the offense. I’m not discouraged.''

While Weeden is recovered from his sprained thumb, coach Rob Chudzinski announced Monday that Hoyer will start Thursday night against the Bills at FirstEnergy Stadium in a NFL Network game.

With clutch drives each of the last two weeks, Hoyer has gone 2-0 in his first two starts to pull the Browns into a three-way tie for first in the AFC North with the Ravens and Bengals. He's also provided the spark Chudzinski was seeking.

"I’m not going to feel sorry for myself and start sulking and pouting,'' Weeden said. "That's just not the way I go about it. I've still got a lot of confidence in my ability and I’m not discouraged. I think I played better this year and my confidence is still high.''

Chudzinski has said he'll evaluate the quarterback situation on a week-to-week basis, and Weeden is convinced he'll be starting again at some point this season.

"That's my mindset,'' Weeden said. "I can’t approach it any other way. If I did, I’d be doing a disservice to myself and doing a disservice to this offense. I’m going to work just as hard as I did in the off-season to win the job. I’m going to keep continuing to work just as hard now as I did week one and week two and go from there.''

Weeden, who went 0-2 to start the season, said he's talked to both Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner, but declined to share what they told him.

"I’ll keep that between us. but they made the decision and … we’re playing well right now,'' Weeden said. "I’m the ultimate team guy, I want to win games, I want to be on a team that’s winning games, it makes this business a lot more fun. And Brian’s playing well, the offense is playing well, the defense is playing outstanding. It’s fun to watch. I’m happy for this football team.''

He said he's not sure yet if he'll back up Hoyer Thursday night or if Chudzinski will go with Jason Campbell in the short week.

"That's a question for Chud,'' he said.

He declined to say if it's a worn-out adage that a player can't lose his job to injury.

"Oh, I don't know,'' he said. "This is the first time it’s ever happened. I couldn’t tell you.''

He attributed the offensive improvement to experience in the new scheme and Josh Gordon's return from his two-game suspension. Weeden threw only one touchdown pass and three picks in his two starts and Hoyer has thrown five TDs and three interceptions. But Gordon has opened things up for everyone, including Jordan Cameron, who's caught four TD passes the past two weeks.

"It takes time to get in a rhythm,'' Weeden said. "The same guys are playing. Obviously Jordan’s having a big year. Getting Josh back is good for this offense. Our offensive line is playing really well, it’s just everybody’s getting better. You expect it. That’s what you want. If it’s going the other way, you’d be a little bit discouraged, but it’s encouraging that we’re moving forward, we’re playing better all-around.''

Weeden was asked if his sprained thumb, which he banged off John Greco's helmet in Baltimore, was just a matter of bad timing.

"Yeah, I guess so,'' he said. "I'll let you put that in your own words.''

Regardless, he said, he'll continue to prepare as if he's the starter.

"One thing about being a quarterback, whether you’re a backup, starter, third string, you’re a snap away and you’ve got to keep that mindset,'' he said. "You've got to prepare like you’re going to play. So I'll come in early, watch the same amount of tape, study the same amount of time, just in case my number’s called, and go from there.''

He said he threw the ball with no restrictions Monday in the light practice with no pads.

"The ball felt good coming out,'' he said.

He said he could play Thursday if called upon, but "it’s tough, you don’t get any reps, you get the scout team reps and so we’ll see how that goes.''

Receiver Davone Bess said Weeden has handled his benching like a pro.

"His head is down (to focus) right now and that's the mindset of the team,'' said Bess. "We're focused onto the next opponent and that's the Buffalo Bills. And it'd be easy to bite the cheese and be happy and rah-rah, but we're on a mission and we're on the right track, and we want to stay on track.''

Left tackle Joe Thomas said Hoyer's installation was expected.

“Brian’s done a nice job for us coming in, providing that spark, had two nice games already making the right throws, getting the ball out on time, doing a good job with the operation, just making sure everybody’s on the same page, good command of the huddle,'' said Thomas. "We’re 2-0 with Brian right now, so it’s no surprise that he’s going to be the starter on Thursday.”

But should a player lose his job to injury?

“I don’t know,'' said Thomas. "It's more of a coaching question. It’s hard to sit a guy after he won both games he was in.”

Would he prefer Hoyer remain the starter and the issue be settled?

"Sometimes people say, ‘You’re staying with the hot hand,’ and Brian’s been doing a good job for us,'' said Thomas. I just hope Brian keeps playing well. That’s all I can say. He’s done a nice job the last two games. He’s getting more comfortable every week. So hopefully he can do a nice job on Thursday for us, and those things take care of themselves.”

Chudzinski stressed that Weeden wouldn't have much time to prepare in the short week, but that Hoyer earned the next start on his own merits.

“I think he improved from the week before,'' Chudzinski said. "His decisions were very good. Just in talking him this morning, there were a few throws he would like to have made better. But you look at the drives – we had some long drives we were able to string together because some of the things he did on third down, the decisions he was making and the guys were rallying around him.”

He acknowledged that Hoyer has energized the team.

"He’s a fiery guy,'' said Chudzinski. "I think our whole team was that way about that game yesterday. The fans were awesome. It was loud. Guys were really excited about that and playing in front of them. Brian typified that.”

Weeden hopes to get another chance to prove he can do the same.