Browns' Jameis Winston decision reportedly linked with Deshaun Watson

There's now little doubt that the Cleveland Browns' decision to choose Jameis Winston over Joe Flacco as their backup quarterback is related to making starter Deshaun Watson as comfortable as possible ahead of what could be a make-or-break season for Watson.

In a piece published late Tuesday night, Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand revealed that the club "did not even offer Flacco the minimum NFL contract" after he went 4-1 as a starter to guide the team to the playoffs this past season. 

"They were horrified by the likelihood of this 39-year-old phenom, a certifiable fan- and locker room-favorite, casting a shadow over Deshaun Watson and complicating his job next year," Grossi said about the Browns-Flacco situation. "...They secretly hoped the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year found a better opportunity in free agency. When a market didn’t materialize in the first 36 hours of the legal negotiating period, (general manager) Andrew Berry put an end to the ruse of bringing back Flacco and agreed to terms with another quarterback less threatening to Watson." 

Watson joined the Browns from the Houston Texans in March 2022 and signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract as part of that trade. 

He then missed the first 11 games of the subsequent season while serving a suspension related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. 

The 28-year-old played in fewer than six full contests this past campaign before he was shut down with a shoulder injury, and he hasn't made a Pro Bowl squad since the 2020 season. 

Flacco reportedly would've been "happy to return to the Browns in a backup role" had he not received an opportunity to start with a different team this month. 

However, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said on Tuesday afternoon "the fact that Watson knows Winston well and was excited to bring him on board was another huge selling point" regarding Berry picking Winston over Flacco. 

"In 2022, the Browns filled the quarterback room with players they knew Watson felt comfortable with and would support him amid his sexual misconduct allegations," Cabot explained. "It included Jacoby Brissett, longtime close friend Joshua Dobbs, and acquaintance Kellen Mond. Last season, they drafted another good friend of Watson’s, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, in the fifth round out of UCLA."

Cabot insisted that Watson would've been "eager to work with Flacco" had Berry gone down that road. Grossi seemed unsure Watson and Flacco sharing a quarterback room this year would've been good for anybody involved. 

"The Browns proved last year they could win without Watson," Grossi added. "It was their backup quarterback...who took them into the playoffs. Because of what they’ve invested in Watson, the Browns don’t want to see that happen again. And now you can be sure that it won’t."

It's believed Cleveland replaced offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt with Ken Dorsey this offseason because of what Dorsey previously achieved while coaching dual-threat quarterbacks. 

If Watson doesn't thrive under Dorsey, whispers about the Browns moving on from their current QB1 next winter will only grow louder through January 2025.