(Editor’s note: This is excerpted from Mike Sando’s Pick Six of Dec. 16, 2024.)
5. The Cleveland Browns now have as many starts with Jameis Winston this season as they had with Deshaun Watson. Perhaps ‘none of the above’ is the best answer at QB.
There’s no denying the Cleveland offense has been more productive since Winston replaced Watson in the lineup following Watson’s season-ending injury. But after another turnover-filled game from Winston and the offense in a 21-7 defeat to Kansas City, the Browns have proved they can rank 32nd on offense with either quarterback.
Cleveland was last in EPA per play on offense through Week 7. The Browns have been last in EPA per play on offense from Weeks 8 to 15.
The table below unveils the splits for each quarterback’s starts.
| Browns OFF | Game 1-7 | Game 8-14 |
|---|---|---|
|
Starting QB
|
Watson
|
Winston
|
|
W-L
|
1-6
|
2-5
|
|
PPG
|
13.4
|
18.6
|
|
Yards/gm
|
253.9
|
365.4
|
|
TDs
|
11
|
16
|
|
Turnovers
|
8
|
19
|
|
EPA/play
|
-0.22
|
-0.12
|
|
EPA/play rank
|
32nd
|
32nd
|
The Browns’ EPA per play with Watson starting (-0.225) ranked 786th out of 798 teams since 2000 over the first seven games of a season, per TruMedia. Their EPA per play with Winston starting (-0.120) ranks 690th out of 798 teams over games 8-14 since 2000.
Watson is reportedly returning next season, but the Browns obviously need other options. Winston could be one of them, but can Cleveland really go through another season in this way? It’s difficult to fathom.
Cleveland owns its own picks in the first four rounds and the sixth round next season. The Browns also own a third from Buffalo via the Amari Cooper trade, a fifth from Detroit and two sixths acquired in other deals. The Browns’ first-rounder would be seventh in the order right now, per Tankathon.
We have entered the "depression" phase of the Jameis Winston market cycle pic.twitter.com/iW76bzw08C
— Jared Smith (@jaredleesmith) December 15, 2024
(Photo: Jason Miller / Getty Images)
