The lowest-profile member of the Browns’ collection of reserve quarterbacks, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, has received word he made the team. This will create an interesting roster situation in Cleveland.
Adding both Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley this offseason, the Browns now need to move on from at least one of them. They are planning to take calls on Winston and Huntley, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, with a trade potentially in the cards. Both passers are pending free agents.
Winston spent the past four seasons in New Orleans, primarily operating as a backup. The Saints provided him with a secure environment after his Buccaneers tenure (capped off by his 30 TD-30 INT 2019 campaign) came to an end. The former No. 1 pick has stated his desire to once again serve as a starter in the NFL, but his decision to take a one-year Browns pact set him up for QB2 duties behind Deshaun Watson. That chances of that being the case given Thompson-Robinson’s inclusion on the 53-man roster are low.
Winston’s deal includes $4M in guarantees, but a trade or release would only incur a dead money charge of $558K due to the inclusion of void years. The 30-year-old could be an attractive backup option to a number of suitors, although the NFLPA’s decision to veto a rule change which would have allowed teams an unlimited number of emergency QB practice squad elevations could lead many to only carry two signal-callers. Still, Winston is a veteran of 93 games and 80 starts, so he could add considerable experience to an acquiring team.
Huntley, 26, entered the NFL as a Ravens UDFA, and each of his 21 combined regular and postseason appearances have come with Baltimore. Operating as Lamar Jackson‘s backup, he compiled a 64.6% completion percentage and 79 passer rating, adding 4.4 rushing yards per carry and three touchdowns on the ground. Huntley’s 8:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio illustrates his limitations a passer, however.
Huntley’s pact would only lead to $470K in dead money charges in the event he were to be traded or released, so finances will not play a major role in how the Browns proceed at the quarterback spot. It will be interesting to see how much of a trade market emerges for Winston and/or Huntley given the fact at least one of them will be let go if no agreement for a swap can be worked out.
