Like all of the Browns' officials, coach Pat Shurmur made it clear in a conference call Thursday that rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden has to beat out Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace to be the team's starter in 2012.

I understand that the Browns want to make Weeden feel like he has to earn the job. But here's the reality of the situation: it's not his job to win. It's his job to lose.

The Browns will have a major problem if a first-round quarterback can't beat out the 25th-rated quarterback last year (McCoy) or a career backup (Wallace). A team doesn't draft a quarterback with the 22nd overall pick to sit for a season. A team doesn't select a 28-year-old rookie to hold a clipboard for a year.

Still, Shurmur doesn't want to publicly give the job to Weeden yet.

“I’ll decide who the starter’s going to be when we play against Philadelphia,” Shurmur said.

When rookie minicamp begins for the Browns on Friday, Weeden will begin to address the challenges of going from college to the NFL. He will have to adjust to a new offensive system, more complex looks from the defense, and a different viewpoint when the ball is snapped.

At Oklahoma State, Weeden orchestrated a fast-paced, spread attack from the shotgun. With the Browns, he will be expected to take more snaps from under center.

While this doesn't seem like a major transition, Weeden will have to work on his footwork. The advantage is you don't have to take your eyes off the defense under center like you do when you catch the ball in shotgun.

Asked if he was looking forward to seeing Weeden under center, Shurmur said: "Yeah, I am looking forward to him executing as a quarterback, whether we are under center or in the shotgun, all of which happens in the NFL. I am looking forward to watching him operate.”