NFL notes: RG3 intends to seize starting opportunity with Browns

Despite spending an entire season on Washington’s bench, Robert Griffin III never doubted he’d be a starter again.

His belief became reality Monday, when coach Hue Jackson said “it’s time” to give Griffin the opportunity to lead the Cleveland Browns on the field.

“As long as you don’t give up and you keep working, you’ll get another opportunity,” Griffin said.

Jackson, who chose RG3 following a weekend in which the 26-year-old helped Cleveland’s first-team offense in successful scrimmages, has lofty standards that Griffin will need to meet in order to keep the job.

“He has gained the respect from his teammates, the coaching staff and the entire organization that is necessary for him to lead our offense and really the entire team,” Jackson said, adding, “We expect him to continue to ascend as he becomes more and more acclimated to the offensive system we will employ this season.”

Griffin beat out Josh McCown for the starting spot, leaving the 37-year-old’s future with the Browns in doubt.

“It’s an honor to be one of 32 in this league,” Griffin said. “When you get (an opportunity), you got to seize it.”

Griffin signed a two-year, $15 million free agent contract in March and has taken the majority of first-team reps during the Browns’ organized team activities and training camp. The fifth-year quarterback completed three long passes to rookie Corey Coleman in the team’s Friday scrimmage, including a deep touchdown toss that impressed veteran cornerback Tramon Williams.

“Some of the balls that he threw today, the location that he put them at, it was amazing,” Williams said Friday. “I told him, I said, `Man, if you throwing the ball like that … you’re going to throw a lot of touchdowns this year.“’

In Saturday’s no-pads scrimmage at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, the Baylor product tossed two touchdown passes to receiver Terrelle Pryor.

The Browns’ first preseason game is on Friday at Green Bay.

Though he may not be long for Cleveland, McCown felt he got a fair chance in the competition, despite the lack of first-team reps.

“Not in any way or shape do I think it was unfair.” McCown said. “I think it was exactly how it needed to be for them to fairly evaluate things and I trust their judgment.”

McCown, who started eight games for Cleveland in 2015 before breaking his collarbone, is reportedly a top trade target for the Dallas Cowboys, who are in need of a replacement backup quarterback after Kellen Moore broke his right ankle last week. McCown said that the Browns have been open with him about trade discussions and said that everyone is on “the same page.”

Griffin has the starting QB job for the first time since 2014, when he played for the Redskins. He did not take a snap for the Washington in 2015 and was released March 7.

He was selected by the Redskins second overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and won the Rookie of the Year and led Washington to a 10-6 record. Over his first four seasons, Griffin started 35 games, throwing for 8,097 yards and 40 touchdowns with 23 interceptions.

Griffin is set to be the 25th starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999.

Sanchez, Siemian listed as co-No. 1s on Denver depth chart

The Super Bowl champs have released their first depth chart and there’s still little clarification on who will be the Broncos’ starting quarterback in 2016.

Mark Sanchez has been ahead of Trevor Siemian since Denver began training camp, but they’ve been alternating snaps. Coach Gary Kubiak says he wants to watch them play in the preseason before making a decision.

With both Sanchez and Siemian listed as co-No. 1s, rookie Paxton Lynch is listed as a backup.

The three are vying to succeed Peyton Manning, who retired in March a month after the Broncos won the Super Bowl. Longtime backup Brock Osweiler signed with the Houston Texans at the start of free agency.

QB Schaub gives Falcons ‘cool’ backup to starter Ryan

Matt Schaub’s cool presence in the huddle has the Falcons believing the offense can keep moving should starting quarterback Matt Ryan’s long string of consecutive starts end this season.

Schaub, 35, is entering his 13th season with a return to Atlanta, his first NFL home, and the confidence earned from starting 92 of 141 career games with the Falcons, Houston, Oakland and Baltimore.

Falcons coach Dan Quinn says the experience is valuable – even though Ryan hasn’t missed a start since 2009. Schaub has made a strong first impression with Quinn, who says the veteran has “a real coolness about him.”

“When the pressure is on, he kind of looks at you and smiles and says `This is what we’re going to do,’ “ Quinn said last week. “That’s an assuring feeling, knowing that’s an important job for us.”

Quinn hasn’t decided on a plan for rotating his quarterbacks in Thursday night’s preseason opener against Washington, he said. Sean Renfree and Matt Simms also are competing for a backup job.

Ryan’s streak of 103 consecutive starts, including four playoff games, is the league’s third-longest among active quarterbacks, behind Eli Manning (194) and Philip Rivers (169). Even so, Ryan has taken a beating: He was sacked at least 30 times each of the last three seasons – the most in his career.

If Ryan’s streak continues, Schaub will be just another backup in a baseball cap. Even so, he said he likes being back in Atlanta and never considered retiring after last season.

“Keep going? There was never any doubt,” Schaub said. “It was just a matter of the opportunity.”

Schaub previously played with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur in Houston. He said his relationship with Ryan also made Atlanta a good fit.

“I talked with him and my ability to lend a hand, help out, be ready to go and if called upon I can be there and cut loose for these guys,” Schaub said.

Veteran WR Moore retires 3 days after signing with Falcons

Veteran wide receiver Lance Moore retired, telling the Falcons his heart wasn’t in it only three days after signing with the team as a free agent.

The Falcons announced Moore’s retirement before practice. Quinn said he admired Moore’s integrity.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for him as a man,” Quinn said. “I thought it was real admirable, his approach. What a pro to say, `If my heart is not in it, I want to make sure I’m not taking the opportunity from somebody else.’ I thought, what a classy guy.

“I wish him the best. A guy like that you know is going to be very successful past his football career.”

Moore, the former longtime Saints receiver, signed Friday to compete for the No. 5 spot at his position. He was competing for a spot behind Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Justin Hardy, Eric Weems and possibly rookie Devin Fuller.

Quinn has said wide receiver is among the most competitive positions on the team, even after veterans Roddy White and Devin Hester were released.

Among other receivers competing for spots are Nick Williams, Aldrick Robinson, Corey Washington, David Glidden, J.D. McKissic and Jordan Leslie.

Moore, 32, had 389 career receptions for 4,816 yards and 44 touchdowns in eight years with New Orleans. He had a combined 43 catches the last two years with Pittsburgh and Detroit.

Saints cut Nicks, Armstead comes off PUP list

Saints coach Sean Payton says New Orleans has released veteran receiver Hakeem Nicks and starting left tackle Terron Armstead is coming off the team’s physically-unable-to-perform list.

Armstead is now cleared to practice for the first time since players reported for camp on July 27.

Nicks, who has spent most of his seven-year career with the New York Giants, has said the Saints’ offense provided the best fit for him. He says he lobbied Payton by text for months in hopes of an opportunity, which he received on the second day of camp. However, Nicks has been outperformed by several younger receivers.

Payton says the Saints have signed long-snapper Chris Highland, who also spent part of 2015 training camp with New Orleans.