Cleveland Browns Free Agent Review: QB Jameis Winston

How did fans enjoy the Jameis Winston experience this offseason?

The Browns have a slew of players set to become free agents in March. We will be going through each of those players to discuss whether the team should re-sign them or let them officially hit free agency. We begin with the quarterback position, specifically QB Jameis Winston.

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How and When They Joined the Browns

The Browns made the postseason in 2023, but it took five different starting quarterbacks throughout the season to get there. And yet, the quarterback who led the charge the most, Joe Flacco, wasn’t even given a contract offer to return. Instead, Jameis Winston was called upon to be the backup quarterback to Deshaun Watson for 2024.

Winston was a former first overall pick of the entire draft in 2015, and played five years with the Buccaneers and four years with the Saints.

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Productivity Level Last Season

After Watson tore his Achilles, Winston took over as the starter. On the season, he started 7 games and completed 181-of-296 (61.1%) passes for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also ran 25 times for 83 yards and 1 touchdown, losing 2 fumbles.

In Winston’s first several starts, he threw for 334, 235, 395, 219, and 497 yards. He also led the team to wins over Baltimore and Pittsburgh, both of whom made the postseason. Things sort of fizzled out after that, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson was given the keys instead (before giving them up to Bailey Zappe).

Winston was electric and exciting, because it restored faith that anyone besides Watson can succeed in this offense. On the initial excitement, fans were already thinking about how Winston could be the team’s quarterback in 2025. However, those thoughts diminished quite a bit after the interceptions, and particularly the pick sixes, started to pile up for Winston. The year before, with Joe Flacco, he was leading the team to wins, with some costly interceptions. There was a similar vibe to Winston’s game, but the turnovers were most costly and at inopportune times.

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What the Browns Should Do

Winston’s contract last year was initially reported to be a 1-year deal worth $8.7 million. However, it was heavily incentive-laden. It was more like a 1-year deal worth $4 million. This is a trend that Winston has followed for years with his contracts — the base salary is fairly minimal, but the incentives that he never attains are lucrative. He would probably command a similar deal if he were to return.

I wouldn’t have an issue with Winston returning, but he can’t be the starter. He can deliver a spark as a backup, but I anticipate Cleveland will try to find a veteran quarterback elsewhere to be their starter, and then draft someone in a lower round to be the affordable backup. Given the Browns’ salary cap situation, they also can’t afford to be allocating a couple million dollars to a bunch of veteran players.

With that said, I never understood Winston’s personality prior to him coming to Cleveland, and I thought I would hate it. Instead, I loved the guy, and could see how a locker room would rally behind him. We’ll also always have this:

Let us know below whether or not you think the Browns should re-sign Jameis Winston.