If you're a fan of the Cleveland Browns or have even loosely followed this team over the years, you would know the long list of quarterbacks that have started since the Browns returned to Cleveland in 1999. For years, this team has waited to find a signal caller that can win big games and use the pieces around him to be a top offense in the NFL. It's obvious the Deshaun Watson experiment has failed, so the Browns need to learn from past mistakes and choose a winning QB this time instead.
Unless you didn't follow the NFL last year, the 2023 Browns were America's Cinderella story. They had made the playoffs with an injury-decimated roster, Myles Garrett won the first NFL defensive player of the year in franchise history, and Kevin Stefanski won another NFL coach of the year. The biggest story arguably was journeyman Joe Flacco leading this team to the playoffs with absurd stats. In only five games, Flacco put up 1,616 passing yards and 13 touchdowns.
We, of course, know how the 2023 season ended. Browns lost the wildcard and weeks later announced they would sign Jameis Winston instead of Flacco as the backup QB. Many speculated the reason was because Flacco's success made him a fan favorite and the team wanted to avoid quarterback controversy if Watson was to have a slow start in 2024
Even though fans had a new backup quarterback this season, it didn't take long for fans to call for Watson to be benched. The national media and players were quick to talk about fans booing Watson when he was injured, but the truth was fans were booing Watson for most of the season. Going all in on Watson in 2024 led to the worst statistical offense the team has ever fielded since 1999. Consider the weight of that statement when the team was playing with expensive draft players in 1999 and went 1-31 over the course of two seasons in 2016-2017.
Browns fans finally got their wish of seeing Jameis Winston take the field last Sunday as he threw a touchdown on his very first drive vs Cincinnati. It would be announced days later he would start against Baltimore instead of second-string signal caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who suffered a hand injury.
Even then though, there was some doubt. The entire offense across the board looked ball all year not just Watson. Dropped passes, missed blocks, and bad pre-snap penalties plagued this team. Some thought the offense would look just as bad when Winston took the field vs the division rival and best team in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens.
Winston proved the doubters wrong by not only playing well but also achieving top milestones for single-game stats recorded by Browns QBs this season. Winston was the first Browns QB to throw for more than 200 (334 yards), the first to throw three touchdowns in a game, the first to have a passer rating over 100 (115.3), highest yards per pass attempt (9.1), and was the only QB to lead the offense to over 20 points (29).
It didn't take Kevin Stefanski long on Monday to name Winston the starting quarterback, as he is the best choice to win now. The Browns aren't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but the road to the postseason at 2-6 is an uphill battle. Many people are worried about the future with the Watson experiment failing, but who's to say Winston can't be a part of the future?
If Winston can continue this level of play, the 30-year-old can at least be the bridge piece while Cleveland develops a QB they select through the draft. Winston became the franchise's 38th different starting QB and the number will keep growing unless the team has at least a consistent backup, and he's that guy.
Last season, the team convinced themselves they didn't need Flacco, but they couldn't have been more wrong. Winston isn't perfect, but the Browns aren't going to find a veteran presence that can win and can execute at a high level again. Hopefully, Cleveland learns from their mistake and doesn't let another good quarterback leave in free agency.
