The Cleveland Browns have signed Jacob Sirmon, adding him to a packed quarterback depth chart behind Deshaun Watson.
Sirmon tried out at the Browns’ rookie minicamp from May 10-12. He was among seven players invited to try out. Zac Jackson of The Athletic first reported the signing and noted it may be due to the health of Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The second-year passer is coming back from a hip injury that ended his rookie season.
“The Browns have signed QB Jacob Sirmon, a tryout player in this weekend’s rookie minicamp,” Jackson tweeted on May 12. “This probably means DTR is not fully cleared for OTAs but when it comes to the Browns and the QB spot, we never really know until we know.”
Sirmon played for three different schools during his college career. He attended Washington and Central Michigan before transferring to Northern Colorado in 2022. As a senior in 2023, Sirmon completed 133-of-236 passes for 1,355 yards and eight touchdowns.
Sirmon joins a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland that includes Watson, Thompson-Robinson, Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson Eager to Return
Thompson-Robinson had an eventful yet uneven rookie season with the Browns. After a strong preseason, he earned the confidence of the Cleveland brass and entered the year as Watson’s primary backup.
Things didn’t go so smoothly when his number was called. The fifth-round pick went 1-2 in his starts with Watson sidelined, passing for 440 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 interceptions.
Thompson-Robinson played some limited snaps as a change-of-pace quarterback once Joe Flacco took over as the starter. He injured his hip on December 24 and missed the rest of the year, including the Browns’ postseason game against the Houston Texans.
Thompson-Robinson recently provided some clarity on his injury and when he expects to be on the field.
“I’d say probably March (there was a turning point),” Thompson-Robinson told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I got another MRI. And so from there, things looked a lot better. We kind of started ramping it up from there.”
Thompson-Robinson will likely be the Browns’ third quarterback. Watson is expected to be ready for Week 1, and Winston is slated to be his primary backup. Thompson-Robinson is embracing the opportunity to learn from the vets on the roster.
“I think Jameis has gotten to know everybody. He’s super great,” Thompson-Robinson said. “I love Jameis and Tyler [Huntley]. Two really good additions to the room and two guys that have really helped me in my development. That process of learning how to be a pro quarterback at the highest level, I think it’ll be a big part of that.”
Browns QB Deshaun Watson in Need of Big Year
The Browns are hoping to get a full season out of Watson, who has played in just 12 games since arriving in 2022. His most recent season ended early due to a fractured shoulder. However, Watson is confident he’ll bounce back and be even better than before.
“I’ll be better than I was before in Week 1,” Watson said on April 4. “I’m very confident in the roles of the doctors. Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache and his team, following their lead, just all the research that I’ve done. And then just my work and preparation. I’ve put my whole life into this, I want to make sure I come back even better than before.”
Watson is set to count nearly $64 million against the cap next season. He’s passed for 2,217 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in a Browns uniform.
