The Jameis Winston era in Cleveland has come to an end.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Winston has been benched as the starting quarterback, with Dorian Thompson-Robinson set to take over the role.
Winston, 30, provided plenty of excitement during his time as Cleveland’s starter. His tenure featured moments like his explosive 497-yard, four-touchdown performance on December 2 against the top-ranked Broncos defense, despite also throwing three interceptions, including two pick-sixes. After the game, Winston joked, “Just praying for the Lord to deliver us from these pick-sixes.”
However, his inconsistency caught up to him. Last week against the Chiefs, Winston struggled mightily, completing just 146 yards on 26 attempts and throwing three interceptions before being benched.
Thompson-Robinson, who has seen limited action this season, stepped in earlier this year after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on October 20 against the Bengals. In that game, Thompson-Robinson managed just 82 yards, completing 11 of 24 passes with two interceptions before being sidelined with an injury. Winston took over, finishing with 67 yards, a touchdown, and five completions on 11 attempts.
As a rookie last year, Thompson-Robinson started three games, throwing for 420 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions, leading the Browns to a 1-2 record in those appearances.
Winston, currently in a contract year, is likely to draw interest in free agency given his ability to ignite the Browns’ offense, albeit inconsistently.
