The Cleveland Browns’ latest change at quarterback has left many disgruntled fans scratching their heads.
Ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals , the Browns announced that backup signal-caller Jameis Winston would be placed on the inactive list and serve as an emergency QB. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, meanwhile, will step up as the No. 2 option behind starter Deshaun Watson .
It didn't take long for Thompson-Robinson to see the field. With just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter, Watson attempted to plant his foot and burst through a hole but crumpled to the turf and promptly grabbed at the back of his lower leg.
A close-up replay appeared to show Watson rupturing his Achilles on the play, although he will now undergo further tests to determine the severity of the injury. After several moments spent on the ground, he was carted off the field and replaced by Thompson-Robinson, who finished the first half with one incompletion.
Taking to social media, Browns supporters had questioned why Winston - who signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Cleveland this offseason - was demoted to the inactive list for the first time this season before the game. “This is disrespectful. Winston should be starting,” one X user wrote, with another adding: “The Jameis disrespect is shameful. Best QB in that room.”
Winston’s downgrade was all the more surprising considering Watson's struggles this season. Through the first six games, he has completed 122-of-199 passes for 1,020 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Entering play Sunday, his 21.5 QBR ranked as the lowest among all qualified passers in the NFL .
Amidst Watson’s lackluster start to the season, pundits and critics alike have implored the Browns’ top brass to sit him in favor of Winston. During Cleveland’s player introductions on Sunday, those in attendance at Huntington Bank Field greeted the 29-year-old with a chorus of boos as he trotted onto the field.
As calls for Watson’s benching continue to grow louder , Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski asserted that he wasn’t ready to make a change at starter just yet. "I think Deshaun gives us the best chance to win, continues to give us the best chance to win," he told reporters earlier this week when asked why he wouldn’t play Winston against the Bengals.
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"We need to play really good offensive football at his position, and really at every position to be successful."
Addressing hearsay that co-owner Jimmy Haslam is "forcing" the Browns to continue playing Watson, Stefanski added: "I don't get caught up in narratives, but we have a good dialogue with myself, [general manager] Andrew [Berry], ownership about all things that have to do with this team. They've been nothing but supportive, and any decision when it comes to football is my decision."
It appears as though Watson is running out of opportunities to prove worthy of the massive five-year, $230 million contract he signed in March of 2022. Should he continue to underperform, Cleveland reportedly will not hesitate to pull him.
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According to 247Sports’ Brad Stainbrook , Cleveland had advised Thompson-Robinson to be “extra prepared moving forward” should his number be called in the near future.
In eight games last season, Thompson-Robinson threw for 440 yards and one touchdown with four interceptions. The highlight of the 24-year-old’s rookie campaign came last November when he propelled the Browns to a pivotal 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at home.
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