The Jameis Winston sweepstakes appears to have come to an end. Connected to a number of teams as a backup quarterback addition, the former No. 1 pick is finalizing a deal with the Browns, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. The one-year agreement will have a maximum value of $8.7MM, he adds.
Winston as a Cleveland option came up Monday night, and the former No. 1 overall pick will indeed have another opportunity as a backup. The Browns have made some major changes to their coaching staff this offseason, firing OC Alex Van Pelt and QBs coach T.C. McCartney. Ken Dorsey will step in as Kevin Stefanski‘s top lieutenant, and Joe Flacco will be headed elsewhere if he wants to continue his career.
Not only have the Browns passed on re-signing the reigning Comeback Player of the Year, but the team was not closely linked to a reunion with Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 backup — Jacoby Brissett, who rejoined Van Pelt with the Patriots. The Browns preferred a younger option compared to Flacco, and cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes Watson is a Winston backer. That undoubtedly will help influence this agreement.
Brissett was, in fact, on the Browns’ radar, but Cabot adds the team did not want to authorize an $8MM payment like the Pats did. Flacco had resided as the team’s Brissett backup plan, Cabot indicates. But Cleveland will go in another direction. Winston’s agreement will surely settle south of that point, with incentives likely comprising a notable part of the former Buccaneers and Saints passer’s pact.
Best known for his 30-30 season in Tampa, the 30-year-old QB is coming off a four-year tenure in New Orleans. After the Bucs brought in Tom Brady to replace him in 2020, Winston followed Teddy Bridgewater as Drew Brees‘ backup. Cap-strapped in 2021, the Saints turned to the ex-Heisman winner to succeed Brees. While Winston produced decent numbers despite a bottom-tier receiving corps that year, an ACL tear ended his season midway through.
The Saints brought Winston back on a two-year deal in 2022 but ended up renegotiating it ahead of the ’23 season after Andy Dalton usurped the high-variance passer. Winston still stayed on as Derek Carr‘s backup, making multiple cameos as the ex-Raider ran into injury trouble during a season that featured two concussions.
Watson joined Carr in sustaining multiple injuries in 2023, but the high-priced Browns passer could not stay on the field. Watson’s November shoulder surgery prompted Cleveland to sign Flacco, who displayed stunning form in helping a battered offense do enough to sneak into the playoffs. Flacco did not play well in the Browns’ wild-card game, but the 39-year-old passer expressed interest in staying. The Browns were believed to share that interest, but the sides are set to go their separate ways after a memorable stretch.
Go to Tennessee Flacco
Grrrrrrrrrr what about the other qb’s?
This will be an interesting QB room to keep tabs on.
Is there an over and under on sexual assault charges?
– Congratulations, you won the “sweepstakes!”
– Sweet, what’d I win?
– Jameis Winston
– Uhhhhh……
How can they pass on Flacco??????? Even Mariota would’ve been a better choice. Winston’s no leader, he’s of questionable character. I guess we’re attempting to collect all the quarterbacks with questionable character.
I’m firmly of the belief that bringing Flacco back would have been unfair to him. If he had to play next year and looked bad, people would overlook everything he did for them in 2023. I’m choosing to remember Flacco for that December and leaving it on a high note, and Flacco didn’t deserve to have everything he did compared to last year.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved him and would have loved having him back, but I get why this is what they decided.
I wonder how much influence Watson had on that decision. Flacco made him seem like a very bad investment, while Winston may have the opposite effect
Flacco turned the ball over 10 times
word on the street is they have feelers out to Marcus Vick
This is a bit of a head scratcher unless the Browns are nervous about DeShaun Watson’s recovery.
No matter what, they couldn’t go into next year with DTR as the main backup. I like DTR a lot as a developmental option long term, but they got lucky Flacco was available or else they probably wouldn’t even have made the playoffs.
Why am I suddenly getting a craving for crab legs for dinner?
Joe Flacco should sign with Titans and backup Levis