Kevin Stefanski, who parked Winston throughout what turned a six-turnover Browns efficiency towards the Chiefs, will take one other have a look at a second-year participant over one that’s on an expiring contract. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot confirms Winston will sit down after making seven begins this season.
Regardless of this low begin depend, Winston is already tied for fourth in INTs (12). Solely Kirk Cousins (16), Baker Mayfield (14) and Geno Smith (13) have extra. All three have began each sport for his or her respective groups this season. Winston has been unable to curb a turnover behavior that outlined his Buccaneers tenure, one which infamously ended with the QB throwing an astounding 30 interceptions in 2019. Winston threw three picks towards Kansas Metropolis, a sport that got here two weeks after one other three-INT sport in Denver.
With the Browns now 3-11, they’re totally in analysis mode. Thompson-Robinson is beneath contract by the 2026 season, being chosen within the 2023 fifth spherical. Though the Browns have wanted to make adjustments based mostly on the UCLA product’s lack of readiness at a number of factors, it seems he’ll shut the present for this 12 months’s disappointing group.
Thompson-Robinson, who impressed the Browns to the purpose they traded would-be 2023 backup Josh Dobbs to the Cardinals simply earlier than final season, has made three begins. He has accomplished simply 51.4% of his passes as a professional, including three extra interceptions — together with one towards the Chiefs — to his TD-INT ratio this season. That ratio sits at 1:7 proper now. The Browns are anticipated to pursue one other starter-caliber quarterback in 2025, albeit one who will compete with Deshaun Watson, however the group will see how Thompson-Robinson fares forward of a high-stakes offseason.
Winston, 30, is enjoying out a one-year, $4M deal. The Browns most well-liked him to 2023 Comeback Participant of the Yr Joe Flacco, not making the latter a proposal. Winston has produced highs and lows, persevering with an inconsistent profession. He threw for a Browns-record 497 yards towards the Broncos, giving Jerry Jeudy a revenge sport for the ages. Winston tossed two pick-sixes in that matchup. That got here after Winston had helped the Browns beat the Ravens within the first sport after Watson’s Achilles tear, however he adopted that up with a three-pick exhibiting in a one-sided loss to the Chargers.
The Browns can not realistically drop Watson as a result of two totally assured seasons remaining on his five-year, $230M contract. They’re additionally anticipated to finish a 3rd restructure with the struggling QB, which can make it harder to chop him in 2026. The restructure will, nonetheless, permit a bit extra respiratory room because the Andrew Berry-Kevin Stefanski duo — broadly anticipated to remain — conducts a seek for a possible Watson alternative. At this level, it seems unlikely Winston will issue into that pursuit.