Jameis Winston had the Cleveland Browns offense humming during his debut. He couldn’t replicate that against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Winston and the Browns’ offense struggled mightily to move the ball against the Chargers. Cleveland had just 57 yards of total offense in the first half, and Winston had nowhere to go with the ball.
The unit’s struggles were amplified in the second half, with Winston tossing three interceptions — one in the end zone. Winston has a big arm but is not known for taking care of the ball. He led the league in interceptions in 2019.
“If you talked yourself into Jameis Winston turning the Browns’ season around, that’s on you,” Ben Axelrod of Awful Announcing wrote on X.
Winston was being hailed as a savior after he filled in for Deshaun Watson with resounding success. The former No. 1 overall pick notched 334 yards and three touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens in a 29-24 win.
However, he got lucky on a few plays, with the Ravens dropping some easy interceptions. Winston wasn’t as fortunate against the Chargers, although he still got away with a few questionable throws.
“Jameis Winston is having the game he should’ve had last week against the Ravens if the secondary knew how to catch,” one fan said.
Browns Face Uncertainty at Quarterback Going Forward
The Browns are in a tough situation at quarterback, with Watson’s future uncertain. The hope was that Winston could continue his strong play and keep Cleveland on the fringe of playoff contention.
But with the team falling to 2-7, it might be time to start thinking about the future, which would likely lead to the consideration of second-year passer Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the starting job.
“The Jameis Winston experience was fun for a week,” one fan said. “We will always have the Ravens game. It’s time to start DTR and lose as many games as possible.”
Thompson-Robinson has started a few games during his time in Cleveland, going 1-2. But he is also dealing with a finger injury. In his limited time this season, Thompson-Robinson has passed for 82 yards and a pair of interceptions.
Browns to Seek New Starting QB Next Season
The Browns have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the league moving forward. Watson is under contract through 2026 on a fully guaranteed contract. Cutting or trading Watson would result in record-setting cap charges.
Watson is dealing with a second consecutive season-ending injury, rupturing his Achilles in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in just six games last season due to shoulder injuries.
The blockbuster move for Watson has proven to be a total bust. He’s appeared in just 19 games since 2020, passing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in a Browns’ uniform. Watson is 9-10 as the Browns’ starter.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes the Browns will be looking for a new starter next season.
“The Browns will undoubtedly strongly consider drafting a quarterback, but can also trade for one, sign one in free agency, or re-sign Jameis Winston as a bridge quarterback,” Cabot said. “Regardless of whether or not the Browns keep Watson around in some capacity, they’ll need to have another starting QB on the roster in 2025.”
At 2-7, the Browns are on track to be in position to draft one of the top prospects.
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