Week 4 marked the first regular season action for Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, as the rookie saw the start in place of the injured Deshaun Watson. The former’s performance led to questions about Cleveland’s decision to trade away veteran passer Josh Dobbs, one the organization is satisfied with. 
The Cardinals traded for Dobbs in late August, putting him in position to serve as their starting signal-caller until the return of Kyler Murray. While the move reunited Dobbs with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing (who previously served as the Browns’ QBs coach), Arizona’s offer came as a surprise to Cleveland. The sides were quickly able to work out a deal, though, leaving the latter team short on experience under center.
Thompson-Robinson went 19-of-36 for 121 scoreless yards in a Week 4 loss to the Ravens, throwing three interceptions and taking four sacks. The fifth-rounder’s struggles were understandable in his debut, but they notably contrasted with his encouraging performances in training camp and the preseason. They also stood out when compared to Dobbs, who has posted a 4:0 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 99.4 passer rating in Arizona.
“In terms of trading Josh, obviously we had a high opinion of Josh,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said of the trade, via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. “I’ve often talked up here about the general manager’s role having a foot in the present and a foot in the future. That consideration, in that transaction, has elements of that… We’re really excited to work with Dorian and see him progress and develop. But thought it was the right move for the organization, both short and long term.”
Indeed, many pointed to Thompson-Robinson as the Browns’ eventual QB2 despite Dobbs’ presence, so moving on from the more experienced option helped accelerate his move up the depth chart. Berry confirmed his confidence in Thompson-Robinson as the team’s long-term Watson understudy, adding that he discussed the proposed Dobbs trade with head coach Kevin Stefanski before authorizing it. While much of Cleveland’s success in 2023 and beyond will be tied to Watson’s level of play when healthy, the team remains comfortable with its backup options (which currently includes P.J. Walker) behind him.