If Deshaun Watson wants to remain the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, he’ll have to earn it.
Since acquiring Watson via a blockbuster trade in 2022, the Browns have mostly picked up backup quarterbacks to support their $230 million quarterback. That group includes Jacoby Brissett, Joshua Dobbs, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston.
The idea was never for those players to compete for the starting role. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, that will change moving forward.
“The plan, going forward, isn’t the same as it has been,” Breer said. “Until now, the Browns have built a quarterback room to support Watson. This year, they’ll look, through the draft and/or the veteran market, to add competition to the room. So while the likelihood—because of the injury and the contract— is Watson will be back, the Browns are going to look to do more than just stop-gap the backup spot.”
Deshaun Watson Has Not Been Able to Stay on Field With Browns
Watson is currently recovering from a season-ending Achilles rupture. It’s his second consecutive season-ending injury and he’s been limited to just 17 games through three seasons in Cleveland.
However, even when healthy, Watson’s play on the field has been rough, and there were calls for his benching before the Achilles injury. In a Browns uniform, he’s passed for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. That doesn’t even stack up to his final season in Houston in 2020, where he led the league with 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Browns did not commit to Watson as their starting quarterback moving forward following the Achilles injury.
“Our focus with Deshaun I would say for any player with a season-ending injury and a major injury is first and foremost with the recovery and to make sure that he gets healthy from the Achilles injury,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on Wednesday, November 6. “Everything else we’ll deal with at a later moment.”
Jameis Winston Making Case to be Browns Starter
The Browns might not have to look far for a quarterback who could compete well for Watson. Winston took over as the starter following Watson’s injury and has provided some solid play.
The Browns have gone 2-2 in games that Winston has started. He’s passed for 1,266 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions, sparking the offense in a way Watson could not.
Winston’s outgoing and motivational personality has also been a breath of fresh air. He enjoys the game and being a leader for the Browns, wearing his emotions on his sleeve. After beating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, Winston made snow angels on the field with the broadcast crew.
“Jameis is just a very, very authentic person. He’s the same guy every single day. He’s the same guy at 5 a.m. as he is at 5 p.m.,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He brings great energy to everything he does, and I think his teammates appreciate that about him.”
Winston has six more games to make his case to stick around. That continues this week, with the Browns taking on the streaking Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
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