The Cleveland Browns bested arguably the AFC’s top team when Jameis Winston took down the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8, which is a fact that could alter the Browns’ plans at quarterback moving forward.
There’s no getting around the fact that the QB position remains something of a muddled mess in Cleveland. Deshaun Watson is recovering from Achilles surgery that will keep him out until at least the start of training camp in late July, if not longer. Winston, meanwhile, is on a one-year deal and will become an unrestricted free agent in March 2025 if the Browns don’t extend him before then.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the second-year signal caller who Cleveland selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft, also remains on the team and happened to be Watson’s replacement against the Cincinnati Bengals last week before an injury sidelined him. So what are the Browns going to do — both for the remainder of this season and heading into the next?
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com offered a comprehensive, if not absolute, summary of the situation in an article published on Sunday, October 27.
“With the Browns at 2-6, they’re still an enormous long shot to make the playoffs, and they’ll still likely need to draft a quarterback high in April, or acquire another starting-caliber veteran with Watson out at least nine months after his Achilles surgery,” Cabot wrote. “But maybe Winston will make a strong case for himself to compete for the QB1 job along the way, or re-sign as a backup and mentor to a young QB. For now, at least, they have a quarterback who can lift this team out of the doldrums and keep things fun and interesting the rest of the season.”
Browns Will Likely Continue to Play to Win While Playoffs Remain Outside Hope
Cleveland’s immediate directive is likely going to be to try to win.
Winston conjured images of Joe Flacco’s surprise charge at the head of the Browns offense last season that led the team to four consecutive victories down the stretch and a berth in the playoffs. Cleveland’s chances are far slimmer of pulling that off this season, but the team did just upset the AFC North Division co-leader.
Running back Nick Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler, is also two games into his return from injury and the optimistic Browns fan might project him to potentially regain his previous form in the coming weeks. The offensive line is slowly getting healthier and the defense still has talent across every level, though defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and cornerback Denzel Ward all suffered injuries Sunday.
The upcoming schedule isn’t easy, though it isn’t necessarily a murderer’s row either — with the Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos on the slate over the next month.
Starting Winston and playing well could knock the Browns out of the top 10 of next year’s draft and make it more difficult to land an elite rookie quarterback. However, with the money the team has spent to win now, anything close to a winning streak that creates even a sliver of hope for the playoffs is probably the primary objective heading into Week 9.
QB Jameis Winston Brings Something Unique to Browns
Cabot noted that if Winston plays well, the Browns may not be as quick to part ways with him this offseason as they were with Flacco after his run of success in Cleveland.
Winston has a unique mentality, which is evident in his discussions with the media. He can often raise eyebrows in good or bad ways.
For instance, the QB quoted Detroit-based rapper Eminem’s popular song “Lose Yourself” following the win against Baltimore on Sunday. However, there is little debate that Winston is a dynamic personality who cares deeply about his teammates and the game — and that can go a long way in a locker room looking for a reason to believe.
“A win like this is required to change the season around,” Winston said, per Cabot. “We have to continue to come to work and apply ourselves every single day and keep scratching and clawing. We’ve got a long way to go.”
Cleveland’s best chance to negate the $73 million salary cap hits Watson represents in 2025 and 2026 is to draft a QB on a rookie contract who can start from Day 1. But whether the Browns are in position to do that or not come next April, there is a reasonable chance Winston could be in the mix heading into next season depending on how the next month plays out.
In any case, professional football in Cleveland is probably going to be interesting in November. And that, at the very least, is something Browns fans can hang onto.
