Former South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Connor Shaw has been on the Browns’ practice squad for 16 weeks and will finally have his shot as it was announced on Friday by head coach Mike Pettine that he has the starting job for Sunday’s finale against the Baltimore Ravens. Shaw has agreed to a two year deal with the Browns, taking him officially off the practice squad.
“He’s been outstanding for us all year. He’s done everything we’ve asked. He’s a guy that is very similar to what you saw at South Carolina,” Browns coach Mike Pettine says. “He’s not the biggest guy, he’s not the fastest guy, he’s not the strongest guy, but he just found a way to be productive. His strength lies in his competitiveness.”
With Johnny Manziel put on the injured reserve, and Brian Hoyer battling a shoulder injury, Shaw was the only one left, aside from the recent signing of Tyler Thigpen, who was cut at the beginning of the year.
Shaw looked very sharp with his brief moments during the preseason as he completed 8-of-9 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown pass against the Washington Redskins. The Ravens’ first-team defense will be another story, but Shaw seems to have the ability to step up the going gets tough as he displayed that on multiple occasions during his time at South Carolina.
A three-year starter at South Carolina, Shaw led the Gamecocks to three consecutive 11-win seasons. He completed better than 65 percent of his passes for 5,851 yards and 55 touchdowns with just 14 interceptions. He averaged more than 500 yards on the ground in his three seasons as a starter and finished his career with 18 rushing touchdowns.
Connor Shaw will be quarterback number 22 since 1999 for the Browns as they have struggled in finding a quarterback.