Any Cleveland fan, or football fan for that matter, knows about the pitiful luck the Browns have had at the quarterback position since coming back in 1999. The seemingly ever-growing list of over-the-hill veterans and lame-duck rookies has been haunting the Dawg Pound faithful for as long as I remember. All signs point to the team looking to start their 41st (you read that right) quarterback in only a 25-year span. That fact made me wonder about something: Who is the worst QB we have had since 1999?
10. DeShone Kizer
At the top spot amongst the trash heap, we have DeShone Kizer. The former Notre Dame star was one of the best prospects in the 2017 draft. With his elite arm strength and ideal size (6’4, 234 lbs), Kizer was given comparisons to Steve McNair. The Browns selected him in the 2nd round, thinking they’d found their franchise quarterback; unfortunately, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Kizer struggled mightily in his rookie season, completing 53.6 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards and 11 touchdowns while leading the league with 22 interceptions. He was traded to Green Bay shortly after the end of the season. He then bounced around the league until his retirement in 2020.
9. Austin Davis
While Austin Davis might not have a memorable NFL career, he can at least say he’s not the worst QB in Cleveland Browns history. Heck, he wasn’t even the worst QB on the team during his lone year as a Brown. Davis was signed in 2015 to join a QB room that featured a then 12-year journeyman Josh McCown and 2nd-year bonehead quarterback Johnny Manziel. In week 13, he started in relief for an injured Josh McCown. He went 25 for 38, 238 yards, and one interception in a 38-7 loss to Cincinnati. He was benched the following game. His legacy in Cleveland is minuscule, to say the least, but at least he’s better than Manziel.
8. Deshaun Watson
On March 18, 2022, the Browns traded for former Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson. The organization had faith that he would return to his former on-field glory. Almost three years later, he’s one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. Given his stats and, more specifically, his win percentage compared to the other QBs on this list, you’d expect Deshaun Watson to be higher up, or maybe not on the list at all. The main factor that put Watson on this infamous list is expectations. Watson has failed to meet even the simplest expectations since he arrived, and honestly, it doesn’t look like that’ll change in the upcoming seasons. With his injury history, inconsistent play, and $230 million fully guaranteed contract, all Browns fans can do is patiently wait until Watson is off the books for good.
7. P.J. Walker
The Browns have had almost every kind of quarterback imaginable since 1999. From former 1st overall picks (T. Couch) to veteran journeymen (J. McCown), from local high school legends (B. Hoyer) to former Heisman Trophy winners (RGIII), P.J. Walker might be the most unique out of the bunch. Walker’s most productive season actually came in the now-defunct XFL, where Walker led the league in passing yards and touchdowns. After two uneventful seasons in Carolina, Walker signed with the Browns. In his first start, he led Cleveland to a stunning 19-17 victory over future NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. Sure, Walker’s numbers weren’t good (18 for 34, 192 yards, two INTs), but a win is a win. Walker struggled heavily in his next two starts, and he was released at the end of the season but we’ll always have the Shocker in Santa Clara.
6. Ken Dorsey
Just like so many quarterbacks before and after him, Ken Dorsey was a quarterback we’d hope we’d never have to start but unfortunately did. After a stellar college career at the University of Miami, Dorsey found himself in Cleveland after being traded away from San Francisco. He was primarily used as a 3rd-string quarterback behind Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. In the three games Dorsey started, he managed to throw seven interceptions without throwing for a single touchdown. This epic failure of a stat line begs the question, who was worse, Ken Dorsey, the Browns quarterback, or Ken Dorsey, the Browns offensive coordinator?
5. Bruce Gradkowski
Believe it or not, as bad as Ken Dorsey was, he wasn’t even the worse quarterback we had that year. That dubious dishonor belongs to Bruce Gradkowski. The former Toledo Rocket was signed in ’08 as an emergency QB due to starter Derek Anderson being put on IR. Gradkowski later “earned” a chance to start in the season finale against Pittsburgh; it did not end well. Gradkowski completed just 5 of 16 passes for a measly 18 yards in an embarrassing 31-0 loss. There were a lot of players who took snaps at QB for Cleveland in 2008: Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey and even Josh Cribbs, but Bruce Gradkowski was ultimately the worst.
4. Doug Pederson
Before he was a Super Bowl-winning head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, Doug Pederson was a 3rd-string quarterback for the Browns in 2000. Injuries to starter Tim Couch and backup Ty Detmer forced then-head coach Chris Palmer to start Pederson, and as you can guess, the results were horrid. In an eight-game span, he threw for 1,047 yards, two touchdowns, and eight interceptions, all while finishing with a 1-7 record.
3. Spurgon Wynn
The Browns selected Spurgon Wynn with the 183rd pick in the 2000 NFL draft. For the sanity of all Browns fans, including myself, let’s ignore the fact that a certain seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback was selected 16 picks later in that same draft. Wynn’s performance in Cleveland was pathetic, to be completely honest. In his only NFL start, Wynn managed to go 5 for 16 with only 17 yards. He later bounced around the NFL, NFL Europe, and CFL before retiring in 2006.
2. Johnny Manziel
Oh, boy.
I’ve tried to remain as impartial as possible, but on this one, I’ll let my emotions take over. Johnny Manziel was and is a punk, plain and simple. After being selected with the 22nd overall pick in 2014, we had high hopes for “money” Manziel. Hindsight being 20/20, the organization was just as foolish for believing in him as we, the fans, were. Who would’ve guessed drafting an undersized gunslinger with the maturity of a fourth grader who got famous throwing jump balls to Mike Evans would be a bad idea? Manziel would rather spend his nights partying rather than studying film. His time in Cleveland was thankfully short, as in only two seasons he threw for 1,675 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. I think I speak for all Browns fans when I say I was thrilled when the team decided to cut ties with this loser. Amazingly, he is not the most mortally questionable QB the Browns have had (see number one).
1. Dorian Thompson-Robinson
For those questioning why I’d put DTR as the worst quarterback in Browns history, it’s very simple: He has the worst td/int ratio of all time. Since being drafted in the 6th round out of the 2023 draft, the former UCLA Bruin has thrown for 880 yards, one touchdown, and 10 interceptions. That fact alone puts him on this list, but what stands out about DTR is his lack of improvement. Whether it’s reading defensive coverages, processing through reads, or making tough throws, Robinson has shown an inability to do any of those things consistently. I honestly thought about giving this spot to Spurgon Wynn, but he didn’t have nearly the talent around him that DTR has. Wynn was throwing to players such as Kevin Johnson, Dennis Northcut, and Mark Campbell, while DTR has thrown to Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, and David Njoku. Unfortunately, when I watch Robinson play, I don’t see an NFL quarterback, and unless he improves quickly, he won’t be in the league much longer.
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