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The Cleveland Browns are in the second year of a troubling trend at the quarterback position that almost never bodes well for any NFL franchise.
Cleveland started five different signal callers during the 2023 campaign, yet was still able to cobble together an 11-win season and enter the playoffs as the top Wildcard team in the AFC.
The Browns have started two different QBs this year, though to far different results. Cleveland is 3-11 and just made another change under center ahead of their divisional showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reported on Tuesday, December 17, that the Browns are benching Jameis Winston and turning back to second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who will become the team’s third starter during the 2024 campaign.
“Coach Kevin Stefanski benched Jameis Winston late in the team’s 21-7 home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after his third interception of his game. It was Winston’s third three-interception game since taking over as starter for the injured Deshaun Watson in Week 8.” Oyefusi wrote. “After Sunday’s game and during his Monday news conference, Stefanski declined to commit to a quarterback for the next game.”
Thompson-Robinson started three times during his rookie campaign in 2023, going 1-2 and completing just 53.6% of his passes for 440 yards, 1 TD and 4 INTs. He has appeared in four games for Cleveland this season with even worse results, recording 100 yards and 3 INTs with a completion rate of only 44.1%.
Browns Knew Risks Before Signing Jameis Winston as Backup QB
Getty Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston.
Winston has completed more than 61% of his passes and is averaging north of 300 yards per game through the air, but his turnovers are the problem. In fairness, Cleveland knew about the two sides of the former No. 1 overall pick before they signed him to a one-year, $4 million contract to backup Watson.
For his career, Winston has thrown 154 TDs along with 111 INTs. He led the NFL in passing yards with 5,109 in 2019 as well as interceptions with 30.
The quarterback has thrown 13 TDs compared to 12 INTs through five starts this year, in which the Browns are 2-5. Wilson is 36-51 as a starter over the course of his 10-year career that included stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints before he landed in Cleveland.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson Not Long-Term Answer for Browns at QB
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
It wouldn’t be shocking if Winston gets another shot with the Browns at some point over the final three games of 2024, as Thompson-Robinson has been considerably worse and has an obviously lower ceiling.
Despite Cleveland’s five losses under Winston, the team also beat AFC North Division rivals and soon-to-be playoff teams in the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, the Browns’ decision to bench Winston is a strong harbinger of what may come at the quarterback position this offseason. Cleveland would pick 7th overall were the league to hold next year’s draft today, and the Browns are now more likely than ever to look for a quarterback in that spot.
The franchise is stuck with Watson’s albatross of a contract for the next two years, so it must find a quality QB at value if there is any hope to compete in the near future. Winston looked like he could potentially be that player, though his benching this week has all but completely trashed that notion.
Using the current situation as context, the Browns may decide to stick with Thompson-Robinson regardless of how he plays, as losing out is far more beneficial than winning another contest in what is already a long-lost season.
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Browns Make Jaw-Dropping Move at QB Ahead of Bengals Matchup