The Browns named Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback for the rest of the season.

NOVEMBER 3: The Browns have named Winston the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. Cabot is open to the possibility that Thompson-Robinson could get the start if the Browns fall out of playoff contention, but after his strong performance against the Ravens in Week 8 – albeit against a leaky secondary that was missing two starters composition – now this work belongs to Winston. lose.

OCTOBER 23: The Browns are once again changing their quarterback depth chart. Days after Cleveland’s demotion was reported. Jameis Winstonthe offseason pickup will move into a starting role.

Winston expected to replace injured player Deshaun Watson in Week 8, according to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports. Priority over Joe Flacco To be Watson’s backup, Winston was unexpectedly promoted to emergency QB3 position as Dorian Thompson-Robinson made another jump. In Schultz’s view, this was considered a game plan adjustment rather than a move indicating that Winston would continue to play the third man role.

However, it is interesting that Winston was considered the third man in any game, but Thompson-Robinson had similar success last year. DTR’s progress during training camp prompted the Browns to make a trade. Joshua Dobbs to the Cardinals last summer. The Browns haven’t seen much action from Thompson-Robinson, and with the sophomore currently battling an injury, Winston was the obvious choice to take over in Cleveland’s latest emergency situation.

Winston, 30, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Browns. These terms are the same as what the Colts gave. Joe FlaccoThe 39-year-old veteran confirmed that the Browns never made him an offer to stay. The 2023 Comeback Player of the Year wanted to stay, expressing his affection for his team in Cleveland on several occasions. Winston, however, joined Jacoby Brissett as the Browns’ preferred option. Not wanting to repeat what the Patriots did with Watson’s 2022 replacement (one year, $8 million), the Browns brought in Winston, who is still considered dead capital on the Saints’ 2024 and ’25 payrolls.

Watson is believed to have supported signing Winston, which helped explain Cleveland’s preference for a second Flacco contract. The former No. 1 overall pick has made 80 career starts. The runway is clear, and the former Buccaneers and Saints starter could count to 90, barring injury. However, the Browns – given how their season fell apart largely due to Watson’s issues – may want to give Thompson-Robinson more opportunities to evaluate his development at some point. For now, it will be Winston, who has not been a regular starter since an injury in 2022 led to his demotion in New Orleans.

While Winston is best known for his high-variance season in 2019, which featured 33 touchdown passes, 30 interceptions and 5,109 yards, he played well in the finale for Sean Payton’s Saints before going down with a torn ACL. The Saints re-signed Winston to a two-year, $28 million contract in 2022, but ultimately benched him. Andy Dalton. New Orleans Derek Carr The deal resulted in a pay cut for Winston and the NFC South club gave up its backup with a post-June 1 release this offseason.

A finger injury forced Thompson-Robinson out of the Browns’ Week 7 matchup with the Bengals. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, despite the fact that the operation was already in full swing, it will not be necessary. The team has since signed Bailey Zappe from the Chiefs practice squad. If Thompson-Robinson misses time, Cleveland’s Week 8 QB depth chart will show Zappe backing up Winston.