AP

If Browns quarterback Josh McCown isn’t cleared for next Sunday’s game against the Raiders, it’s clear that Johnny Manziel will make his third career start.

If McCown is cleared, what happens?

Pettine also said that the coaching staff will be taking up the question on Monday night regarding whether Manziel should keep the job even if McCown gets the green light.

“We’re going to meet on that tonight,” Pettine told reporters. “To me, that’s the standard, it’s our weekly meeting where we evaluate every positon and where are we but until Josh is cleared there’s not much thought process there. Just because he is the starter right now with the fact that Josh is out but we’ll have the ‘what if?’ discussion tonight, see where that takes us.”

Pettine also was asked whether Manziel’s performance makes for a more interesting “what it?” discussion.

“I would agree with that,” Pettine said. “That is a positive thing. Johnny has made a lot of progress in the right direction. Still a lot of things to get cleaned, but we certainly feel like the arrow is up.”

For McCown, it’s not clear where the arrow is currently reporting. It was reported Friday that McCown had no concussion symptoms, but a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that the testing administered by the independent neurologist is intended to spot cognitive issues unrelated to traditional concussions symptoms. So McCown could feel fine but not be fine, as far as the concussion testing process is concerned.

Coach Mike Pettine said Monday that McCown remains in the concussion protocol, and that he hasn’t even been cleared to practice. He’ll have to separately be cleared to play.

At some point this week, a decision will be made as to whether McCown will be cleared. If he’s not, it’ll be Manziel. If McCown is cleared, it still may be Manziel.