BEREA, Ohio -- The way the Cleveland Browns season is going, any quarterback who has changed planes in or near Cleveland in the past year is eligible for the roster.
Monday, the team claimed quarterback Joe Callahan on waivers. Callahan was with the Saints for 10 days after Green Bay had waived him.
He made the Packers' 53-man roster after a strong preseason. Callahan played at Wesley, a Division III school.
This move would indicate that Josh McCown is not ready to play after suffering a broken left collarbone on Sept. 18, and that the team is concerned Cody Kessler will not be cleared from a concussion in time to play on Sunday.
Which of course raises the very real possibility that the Browns could face the Jets with Kevin Hogan and Callahan as their quarterbacks. Combined they have been on the team's 53-man roster for 14 days.
Who will be with the first team when the team practices again on Wednesday?
"We will find out," coach Hue Jackson said. "Today is Monday. Tuesday is tomorrow. Wednesday is a day-and-a-half away so we will figure that out as we go."
The way this season is going there's a high likelihood that Callahan will take a snap at some point. The Browns have had five quarterbacks on the roster, and every one has taken a snap (along with WR Terrelle Pryor).
Hogan was on the Browns practice squad until Oct. 11. He played in Sunday's loss in Cincinnati after Kessler left with the concussion. He threw for 100 yards and ran for 104 — including a 28-yard touchdown.
"He battled as hard as he could for a guy that, again, doesn't get a ton of reps," coach Hue Jackson said Sunday.
Such is the state of the Browns that Jackson was not even asked about Hogan on Monday. There are that many issues with a winless team that has used six quarterbacks in seven games.
Browns fans may remember Callahan from the preseason. He started the first game in Green Bay and played very well, competing 16-of-23 for 124 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His rating against the Browns starting defense: 97.0.
Callahan set records in college, throwing for 5,068 yards and 55 touchdowns as a senior. Green Bay gave him a chance as an undrafted free agent, and he earned the Packers roster spot by throwing for 499 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the preseason.
The Browns also raised a red flag about the condition of center Cam Erving by claiming center Gabe Ikard on waivers from Buffalo
Erving missed three games with a bruised lung then missed the second half Sunday with an undisclosed illness that Jackson did not specify.
"We just have to get some more clarity on exactly what that is and where he is," Jackson said. "He is definitely one of the ones I don’t have a lot of the answers that way yet."
To make room on the roster the Browns waived defensive Darius Hillary and fullback Malcolm Johnson.
The move with Johnson was a bit of a surprise. He had played regularly and had started one game. He even got his first career carry in Washington, which led to a game-changing fumble.
"We are just going to keep working and be prepared for many different scenarios as we go through it and make sure that we can field a good offensive football team on Sunday," Jackson said. "That is what we will do.”
Full speed ahead, as the trek to end a winless season continues.
"We get it," Jackson said. "We have dug this hole for ourselves. We have nobody to blame but us, starting with me. We know we have some things to fix. At the same time, being disappointed is different than being about to jump over the fence.
"I say it all the time, but I’m not discouraged. I’m more determined than ever and going to stay that way to get this football team where it needs to be."