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Kevin Stefanski's Sophie's choice: Picking Browns QB for finale | Chris Easterling
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- Kevin Stefanski's Sophie's choice: Picking Browns QB for finale | Chris Easterling
CLEVELAND — It's a Cleveland tradition. Or, it's a tradition since 1999.
The Browns wind their way through a dismal season, only to come to the finale. At that point, they're left with a football version of Sophie's choice: Starting a quarterback who, likely, doesn't deserve to start.
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It's the choice Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has to make for Saturday's finale at the Baltimore Ravens . He could stick with Dorian Thompson-Robinson for a third consecutive start, he could go back to Jameis Winston for one last try. Or, he could try what's behind door No. 3, Bailey Zappe .
Zappe starting would make him the 40th starting quarterback in 26 seasons since the Browns were reintroduced to the NFL as an expansion team in 1999. He would also be following in the grand footsteps of such legendary season-finale starters as Doug Pederson, Bruce Gradkowski , Thad Lewis , Jason Campbell and Connor Shaw .
Browns offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, right, watches as new quarterback Bailey Zappe warms up before a game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland.
It would also solidify what so many already understand. The Browns are, yet again, desperate to find an answer at quarterback.
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The answer does not exist on its roster, as this season has proven. It's why, maybe not for the coaches or players, but for the organization, the best result would be a loss Saturday to try to assure as high a draft pick as possible.
Is either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward the franchise savior? That remains to be seen.
Who isn't the answer? The quarterbacks who have already taken snaps this season for the Browns, including Deshaun Watson .
Winston was a fleeting, but ultimately too mistake-prone, tease during his time as the starter. Not so much with anyone thinking of him as the long-term solution, but at least someone who could potential bridge the gap until that true solution was discovered.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The problem with Winston was the same problem with Winston throughout his career. For all the dizzying highs — beating Baltimore in his first start and Pittsburgh in the snow, throwing for a franchise record against Denver — you get with the former No. 1 overall pick, there's an interception just waiting around every corner for him to throw, usually either in the end zone or resulting in the defender running into the end zone.
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That was part of the reason why Winston no longer was the starter after his third three-interception game in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs . Except that the Browns turned the offense over to Thompson-Robinson, a second-year quarterback who's a less-talented — but, by no means, less-confident — version of Winston.
Thompson-Robinson said from day one after he was named the starter two weeks again against the Cincinnati Bengals that two words were most important: Ball security. Since then, he's had two turnovers in each of his two starts, giving him six interceptions, a lost fumble and no touchdown passes thrown in six appearances and 115 pass attempts this season.
It's not just ball security, it's also ball placement. Thompson-Robinson's passing chart on NextGenStats.com from Sunday's 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins show below-average ratings in eight of the 10 passing zones in which he threw passes, including just 17 of 28 for 125 yards in passes thrown between the line of scrimmage and nine yards deep.
Thompson-Robinson, for one, believes he made strides from the previous week in Cincinnati against Miami, saying, "Ultimately I thought I executed for the most part in terms of doing my job." If he were to start in Baltimore, it would be the first time he's started three consecutive games in the NFL, and it would only be his sixth career start.
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"Of course everybody in that locker room wants to end on a high note for this offseason," Thompson-Robinson said after Sunday's game. "Obviously this year isn't where we wanted it to be, but for me personally I love this game of football. I love being out there with that group of men in the locker room, coaches and players and everybody else included.
"So for me to be able to get another shot, it's going to click eventually and that's all I can say."
The Browns, though, don't have time to wait for "eventually." That time runs out fast when a team is 3-13.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: No long-term answers in Browns QB for season finale: Analysis
