AUGUST 28: The Browns are expected to make a quarterback move today, according to veteran NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, but it will not involve Winston. Cleveland kept four QBs on its active roster Tuesday. With waiver claims set to come in and other roster moves likely on tap as well, the Browns cutting into their overstocked passer depth chart seems imminent. Schultz pushes back on the notion the Browns discussed moving their recently signed backup, and it appears the 10th-year vet is firmly set in Cleveland.
AUGUST 27: 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 by 3pm CT today. 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 30-30 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 $4MM 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 by the afternoon if no agreement for a swap can be worked out.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
I don’t understand why they wouldn’t want Jameis as the Number 2 guy. Thompson-Robinson looked terrible when he played last year.
Maybe they don’t like having more than one quarterback with multiple sexual misconduct allegations against them. Presumably they would still keep Huntley in that scenario to keep DTR off the field.
Frankly, your obsession with sex seems rather unhealthy.
Truly, what?
Watson’s obsession with it seems to have been the actual problem.
weird comment
If that were the case then they should not have signed him in the first place
It’s simply a matter of which one gets the Browns a draft pick. It beats flat out releasing Huntley. DTR deserves another year of development considering his raw talent, age, and low salary so they do. It both. And DTR would highly unlikely make it to the practice squad.
DTR isn’t even two years younger than Huntley and Huntley is barely making over a million this year. DTR is a fun player, but he’s not much more of a youth, value, or upside play than Huntley.
Seems like a few teams could use the upgrade at backup QB. I’m surprised Chicago hasn’t brought in a veteran backup with starting experience–not that Winston is exactly the mentor figure you’d want for your young franchise quarterback.
I want to see Winston in Minnesota launching deep shots to Jefferson. I’m not even a Vikings fan, it just sounds like fun, and a good idea for Minnesota. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong, but I really don’t think Darnold is the guy.
Winston would give the Vikings a chance to win a bunch of games and be competitive. Darnold, probably not. A long cold season ahead for Vikings fans.
Minnesota has shown a lengthy record of qb career revival as opposed to their equally poor record of qb drafting. For this reason alone I am optimistic about Darnold.
Good luck. It’s tough enough to live in Minnesota without having to put up with a losing football team. You might be right. I wish Darnold all the best, he’s had a rough ride in the NFL, thrown to the wolves, without adequate coaching or any pass protection.
Nothing I’ve seen out of either Huntley or DTR makes me think that they’re a legit #2 QB at this point.
Then again, what has Winston shown? Come to think of it, what has any of the four quarterbacks shown? Maybe Flacco will come back mid season to save the day again
Watson’s gotten in trouble for what he’s shown in the past…but I digress.
The Browns won’t be taking any calls related to a trade because those guys have less appeal than Joe Flacco had.
Only Winston is worth even a last round pick, but he’s the only one Cleveland should be considering as their backup.