BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have turned to a rookie quarterback, and the naysayers have started howling.

DeShone Kizer is not ready. There is not enough talent around him. The Browns are the Browns. All have been heard since Hue Jackson named Kizer the team’s quarterback on Sunday.

And ... there is an element of truth to every criticism.

However, Kizer also brings an excitement that other new Browns quarterbacks did not. At the least he has ability and talent, and to date, his attitude has been excellent.

It’s time to put on the happy face/rose-colored glasses and ponder how this move can work. And while it might not lead to double-digit wins in 2017, it might set the foundation for future Browns success in 2018 and beyond -- which has been the long-term goal since Jackson was hired before last season.
 If the Browns can ride out Kizer’s ups and downs, they then can turn to the 2018 draft with five picks in the first two rounds and a chance to fortify several roster spots. This season might not be about competing for a playoff spot, but it can be about growth, steps forward and helping a young quarterback grow into an NFL starter.

What factors favor a positive experience for Kizer and favor the Browns moving forward in 2017? Here are a half-dozen:

• The running game. Bruce Arians has said it consistently about a young quarterback: when he starts, teams have to run the ball, protect; and then if the guy can play, he can play. The Browns this season are a team built around running the ball. Isaiah Crowell was underutilized in 2016, and Jackson promises he won’t repeat that mistake in 2017. Crowell is the most underrated back in the league; he averaged 4.7 yards per carry in '16 and has shown the same acceleration and explosiveness this camp. A healthy Crowell is a huge help to Kizer.

• A commitment to defense. The Browns have been down the improved-defense-in-preseason road several times the past however many years, so the fact that the defense has not given up a touchdown to starters should be taken with a grain of salt. But Jackson’s focus to win this season is on running the ball, playing defense and welcoming any growth he can get from the quarterback. The addition of Gregg Williams as coordinator was considered a vital move inside the team’s offices. The team drafted Myles Garrett and Jabrill Peppers. It re-signed Jamie Collins and gave an extension to Chris Kirksey. Joe Haden is healthy. A defense that can force turnovers and keep the game close helps. Until this actually happens, Browns fans might wish to reside in Missouri and have the unit “show me,” but the possibility is there.

• Offensive-line investment. John Greco is a hard-nosed and reliable offensive lineman. He’s now the sixth man, as the Browns added Kevin Zeitler and JC Tretter in the offseason while also signing Joel Bitonio to a contract extension. There are concerns here. Bitonio has to stay healthy, and Shon Coleman has to come through at right tackle. But if the Browns want to limit the hits Kizer takes, it starts up front. The team feels better about this unit than it has in some time.

• Corey Coleman looked like an NFL receiver in the third preseason game. Yes, it’s about baby steps. But any progress from Coleman is welcome. Nobody on the team entered camp with more to prove than the 2016 first-round pick. He had a quiet camp and preseason -- until he caught four of Kizer’s throws for 66 yards in Tampa. The Browns' receiving corps is thinner than a sheet of paper; anytime any of them take even a tiny step forward, it’s a positive. Kizer has to have someone he can rely on.

• Hue Jackson. This is his specialty. Jackson had Jason Campbell playing the best he had played in his career in 2011 in Oakland, but then Campbell got hurt. He coached Joe Flacco when Flacco was thrown into the starting lineup as a rookie. He mentored Andy Dalton and AJ McCarron in Cincinnati. He is pointed and direct while also being positive and upbeat. Kizer has already raved about the pair’s relationship, and Jackson is staking his reputation on this decision. He was hired to find and develop a quarterback. Now he gets to do just that.

• Commitment. The "here today, gone next week" nature of the position in Cleveland since 1999 has produced zero continuity, which has led to struggles and pratfalls. Lack of commitment has caused many Browns quarterbacks to play with doubt, which can’t happen at that position. The decision to start Kizer does not have the feel of a “four games and we’ll see” kind of thing. Jackson said on Sunday the team is in with Kizer for the long haul, through the expected and normal ups and downs. Jimmy Haslam is committed to Jackson, and Jackson is committed to Kizer. He can just go and play and not worry that the bad throw or bad play is going to lead to second-guessing and cost him his job. The caveat, of course, is that Kizer has to continue to earn the spot, so if there are consistent struggles over several weeks, Jackson might re-evaluate. And if Kizer goes a year without proving he belongs, the team also will re-evaluate after the season. But intent in this instance is important, and the Browns and Jackson clearly intend to give Kizer the long-haul look.