BEREA, Ohio Browns coach Mike Pettine said Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel will split the first-team reps in Washington on Monday Night Football next week regardless of who starts the game.

"The bottom line coming out of the game is that they both should get close to equal reps with the ones no matter who starts,'' said Pettine.

He said the decision on a starter will be made on the team's day off Thursday.

"Johnny's going to get reps with the ones,'' he said. "Just to me, the factor of starting the game I think is a little bit overblown in this situation because we're going to try to balance the reps with the ones in the game, so I don't think it was anything that, 'Brian came in ahead.' It's a little overrated who trots out there for the first time.''

Pettine said he doesn't know yet if he'll divide the reps by series or by quarters. The starters for both teams will likely play the entire first half, so there should be enough first-team reps to go around.

"I don't know if we'll do it by quarters,'' said Pettine. "We want to make sure that they're both getting reps, so we haven't decided on how to do it. We'll see when we meet on the off day just because I think there are a lot of options on the table and we have to get that sorted out how we want to do it.''

He said alternating by series is on the table, although perhaps not ideal.

"It could be, but it's hard to get in a rhythm if it is by series, so that will be one of the things we'll discuss,'' he said.

Hoyer is still listed No. 1 on the depth chart released Tuesday for the Redskins game, but quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains said "there's no leader'' in the clubhouse.

Manziel took the first-team reps on Tuesday, and the two are alternating by the day again this week. His first pass over the middle was snatched out of the hands of Anthony Armstrong by Joe Haden and he overthrew a double-covered Travis Benjamin on a deep ball, but he completed a few nice passes.

Loggains stressed that it's still "way too early to tell (who will start in Pittsburgh). I'm excited about both of them, where they're at, but I'm also excited to see how good they're going to be in two or three weeks when it is time to get ready for the Steelers.

He added that the Redskins game is just another piece of the puzzle.

"I don't think we'll make the decision based on that,'' he said. "It's the body of work they're accumulating, putting together and that's how we'll make the decision.''

Pettine noted that 12th-year quarterback Rex Grossman, who signed with the Browns on Tuesday, will help the whole quarterback room, not just Manziel.

Grossman, who will turn 34 Aug. 23, has spent five seasons with Kyle Shanahan -- four in Washington and one in Houston -- and knows his offense inside and out.

"He knows the system as well as he does, and he'll be able to give them a quarterback's perspective instead of just the coaches' perspective,'' said Pettine.

"He's functioned well when he's been out there for Kyle, but at the same time, he's a good presence in the locker room and more importantly in the quarterback room."

As for whether or not the presence of Grossman makes Hoyer expendable in the event Manziel wins the job, Pettine said, "No, absolutely not."

He acknowledged, however, that Hoyer could use still use a veteran mentor because he's only started four NFL games. Grossman, on the other hand, has started 47, going 25-22, including a 13-3 record and Super Bowl berth in 2006.

"Brian is in a unique situation,'' said Pettine. "He does have years in the league, but it's hard to put that veteran label on him because he doesn't have that many career starts. In some aspects, he is a veteran because he's been around for so long in the league, but he's closer to being a rookie just as far as the number of snaps he's taken in live game situations."

As for still naming his starter for the opener by the third preseason game, Pettine said, "I think we're on schedule.''