BEREA — Joshua Dobbs or Jacoby Brissett isn't walking through the door at Browns headquarters to rescue the promising season of a playoff-caliber team in the aftermath of quarterback Deshaun Watson suffering a broken shoulder .
Swept up in the excitement rookie fifth-round draft pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson generated in the preseason, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry traded Dobbs and a 2024 seventh-round draft pick to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2024 fifth-round choice on Aug. 24.
Strike one.
Instead of bolstering the insurance on the depth chart behind Watson while he dealt with a strained rotator cuff , Berry stood pat at QB in the buildup to the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline, closing the door on a potential reunion with Brissett, who played well for the Browns last season and is now a Washington Commanders backup, or even Dobbs, who is now thriving as the starter of the Minnesota Vikings on the heels of Kirk Cousins' torn Achilles tendon leading to a trade with the Cardinals.
Strike two.
Now Berry is obligated to pursue a free-agent quarterback with legitimate NFL experience because Watson suffered a season-ending displaced fracture to the glenoid in his throwing shoulder during Sunday's crucial 33-31 road win over the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens .
Matt Ryan?
Nick Foles?
Cam Newton?
Joe Flacco?
Colin Kaepernick?
Old friends Colt McCoy or Robert Griffin III?
Is everyone still sure Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck will never play again?
No one is saying all of these guys are realistic options. The point is Berry, chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta and the front office they lead have a responsibility to be in leave-no-stone-unturned mode.
Who wants a crack at a playoff run ? Who's been staying in shape? Who would fit?
Any lack of due diligence would be a third strike as far as the franchise's QB plan is concerned.
After the Browns announced the news of Watson's looming right shoulder surgery Wednesday morning, Berry said the organization would add a third quarterback at some point.
It could be merely a practice squad player to round out the depth chart behind Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker . For instance, Kellen Mond, formerly of the Browns, is free for swiping from the Indianapolis Colts ' practice squad.
Asked whether he's compelled to pursue a free-agent QB with an extensive NFL resume, Berry said, "We'll never say no to an opportunity that we think makes sense and can help the team, but our focus is on the guys in the room."
Coach Kevin Stefanski named Thompson-Robinson the starting quarterback for Sunday's home game between the Browns (6-3) and division rival Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3).
Thompson-Robinson wasn't ready Oct. 1 when the Browns threw him into the fire for his starting debut, a 28-3 home loss to the Ravens (7-3). He threw three interceptions without a touchdown. Then again, neither the Browns nor Thompson-Robinson knew he would be starting until game day because Watson overestimated his ability to play through the rotator-cuff issue and everyone involved went along with the optimistic outlook.
Although Walker has gone 2-1 this season in games he has either started or played most of the snaps, he is a turnover machine, throwing one touchdown pass against five interceptions, and doesn't have as high a ceiling as Thompson-Robinson.
In other words, Thompson-Robinson is the right call for this week, but Berry and Co. had better be working the phones nonstop in the meantime.
Perhaps Thompson-Robinson will shock the NFL with a dramatic turnaround from his first start to his second.
The Browns, though, would be wise to find someone who has been there, done that. They have an elite defense , plenty of weapons on offense and a standout kicker . With sufficient game management at quarterback, they are capable of earning a playoff berth, which would be valuable in fortifying the winning culture they desperately seek.
Everyone in the locker room and Cleveland's loyal-to-a-fault fan base deserves the best available contingency plan at the sport's most important position.
Watson suffering a broken shoulder — he said Wednesday he "felt something" late in the first quarter — to go along with a high-ankle sprain in the first half against the Ravens yet still completing all 14 of his passes in the second half to orchestrate a comeback victory is remarkable.
It's been stated many times the Browns gave Watson $230 million guaranteed to win that game, but they actually signed him to the historic contract to prevail in a Super Bowl.
A grade for the Browns' blockbuster Watson trade with the Houston Texans on March 18, 2022, can only be considered incomplete right now, though there has been more negative than positive thus far.
Watson served an 11-game suspension last season stemming from more than two dozen women accusing him of sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments when he played for the Texans.
His 2022 season was limited to six games as a result, and now, because of injury, his 2023 season has ended with only six games played.
He's 8-4 as a Browns starter with a completion percentage of 59.8, 2,217 yards passing, 14 touchdown passes, nine interceptions and a rating of 81.7. He has also compiled 317 yards and two TDs on 62 carries and taken 37 sacks.
His performances this season in wins over the Tennessee Titans and Cardinals, plus the second half in Baltimore, suggest the three-time Pro Bowl version of Watson still exists.
However, Watson's mission to return to the top-tier form he last displayed on a consistent basis in 2020 is filled with new hurdles. Berry said the Browns expect him back for the start of the 2024 season, but surgery to a throwing shoulder is a major obstacle for any quarterback — both physically and mentally.
And the proverbial rust factor will hang over Watson again.
Stefanski isn't a perfect coach, but he has done well enough to keep his job for the 2024 season no matter how the rest of 2023 plays out.
The Browns are positioned for the AFC's No. 6 playoff seed despite Watson being in and out of the lineup and losing starting right tackle Jack Conklin and starting running back Nick Chubb to season-ending knee injuries in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.
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Stefanski has made some questionable play-calling decisions, and it remains fair to wonder whether offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt should handle those duties, especially because the Browns captured their lone playoff win of the expansion era with Van Pelt at the controls.
But Stefanski deserves credit for keeping his team focused and united this season. It's obvious he acknowledged the chemistry problems the 2022 Browns experienced and made a concerted effort to address them . The most glaring example is taking the team to The Greenbrier in West Virginia for part of training camp this past summer.
Next season is the final one on Stefanski's five-year contract. There should be no rush for Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam to sign Stefanski to an extension, though they should bring him back, even if the remainder of this season falls flat amid familiar quarterback instability.
More on Deshaun Watson injury news: Cleveland Browns quarterback is out for the rest of the 2023 NFL season with a shoulder injury
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns must pursue veteran QB with Deshaun Watson injured
