The Cleveland Browns didn’t just acquire a big arm when they signed Jameis Winston as their backup QB this offseason, they also landed a big personality.
Winston’s charisma and dynamism have sometimes cut both ways during his NFL career, as the former No. 1 overall pick has authored the occasional goofy or outlandish spectacle, or perhaps run a hot take out a bit too far. However, on Thursday, August 8, he stepped to the mic and used his speaking talents to express bold optimism, belief in and support for starting quarterback Deshaun Watson.
#Browns Jameis Winston says Deshaun Watson is resilient and will win a Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/SFT7SLmqdj
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) August 8, 2024
“I think through his whole life, when you think of where he grew up, Deshaun was built for adversity. He was built for resilience,” Winston said, per video posted to X by Scott Petrak of Browns Zone. “I know that he’s working through a lot of different things but man, he’s happy, he’s poised, he isn’t phased by anything anyone has to say because he’s on a mission to be the best quarterback that he possibly can be.”
Winston went on to predict that Watson will capture a championship title, presumably while still a member of the Browns organization.
“[Watson] knows the magnitude and expectation that a lot of people have for him,” Winston continued. “He has high expectations. He wants to be, and will be, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.”
Deshaun Watson May Be Entering Make-or-Break Season
It isn’t at all shocking that Winston, a world-class hype man and new addition to the Cleveland offense, would come out strong in support of the man whose job he might take at some point in the next few months. It does raise an eyebrow or two, however, to suggest Watson is ready to lead the Browns to a title.
Watson was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans between 2018-20. But the team sidelined him for all of 2021 due to off-field issues and the QB’s trade request following the 2020 campaign.
Those off-field problems involving more than two dozen accusations of sexual misconduct didn’t result in any formal criminal charges against Watson, though they did cost him his first 11 games in orange and brown after the league handed down a significant suspension.
Watson was below average upon his return, which came after nearly two years absent from action in a professional football game that actually counted for anything. Cleveland’s record improved with Watson under center last season, though his collective performance was largely the same as it had been in 2022 — below average.
Watson missed another 11 games, this time due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He is now healthy and entering the third season of a five-year, $230 million fully-guaranteed contract that is arguably the worst in NFL history based on his play to this point.
Jameis Winston’s All-or-Nothing Style Could Work for Browns
One can view the Browns’ acquisition of Winston as a sign that 2024 will serve as a referendum on Watson’s career in Cleveland. Although the Browns have made no specific mention of replacing him in the starting lineup, it feels for the first time in his tenure with the franchise that Watson could find himself sidelined via team decision if he doesn’t play well.
Winston is former Pro Bowler himself and led the league in both passing yards (5,109) and INTs (30) in 2019, the last time he was a regular starter. That statistic is the perfect microcosm for Winston’s career, as he is a playmaker of the most spectacular variety but often takes big risks seeking big rewards.
That style of play might actually fit in Cleveland, at least this year, as the team will return most of its key players from the league’s top-ranked defense in 2023. If Watson stays healthy, out of trouble and plays well, then fans probably won’t see much of Winston this season.
But if Watson doesn’t, Winston could become a defining presence for the Browns both on and off the field.
