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Jameis Winston will reportedly be under center for the Cleveland Browns when they take on the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday that Cleveland plans on starting Winston even though Dorian Thompson-Robinson was Deshaun Watson’s backup in the previous game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Thompson-Robinson played after Watson exited with a season-ending Achilles injury, although he also had to leave with a finger injury.
“My understanding is Dorian Thompson-Robinson was Watson’s backup on Sunday strictly from a gameplan standpoint,” Schultz noted.
Winston played the closing stretch against the Bengals after Thompson-Robinson’s injury, and he went 5-of-11 for 67 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. The touchdown went to David Njoku in the final two minutes, although Cincinnati recovered the ensuing onside kick to clinch the 21-14 win.
Cleveland has now lost five in a row following a 1-1 start and seems to largely be playing out the string on the season at this point.
Things don’t get much easier with a matchup against Lamar Jackson and the 5-2 Ravens in the first game since Watson’s injury.
The Browns can at least take solace knowing Winston is an experienced option who has 80 career starts on his resume. He previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints before joining the AFC North team this past offseason.
He is 34-46 in those 80 starts with 142 touchdown passes to 99 interceptions.
Winston has largely been a high-risk, high-reward quarterback throughout his career, and that was never clearer than in 2019 when he led the NFL in both passing yards (5,109) and interceptions (30) as the starter for the Buccaneers.
His last start came in the 2022 season, but he will once again be under center when the Browns take the field for a key divisional foe. Cleveland’s only hope at turning things around this season may rest on Winston’s right arm, and he will be put to the test against one of the league’s best teams.
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