Browns rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson Admits He Wasn't Expecting To Play In Week Four

Fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson Robinson was thrust into action against the Baltimore Ravens with Deshaun Watson nursing a shoulder injury

As the Cleveland Browns continue to stave off questions about what transpired to leave the organization caught off guard when Deshaun Watson was deemed not "functionally ready" the morning of kickoff against the Baltimore Ravens, backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson finally provided some answers.

Speaking with the media at his locker on Wednesday, the 2023 fifth-round draft pick – better known by his nickname, DTR – told reporters that he truly "had no idea he was going to start" in Week Four. He added that he received official word he'd be making his first career start around 10:30 a.m. that morning.

DTR's comments echo those made by general manager Andrew Berry last week, that Watson and the team believed he was going to be ready to go by kickoff. They also give credence to reporting from the locker room following the Ravens game, that Watson's teammates expressed frustration by his absence after he so emphatically gave them his word that he was going to play.

It was ultimately a lose, lose for Watson. If he had played and struggled, he never would have heard the end of it from the fan base. By not playing, he finds himself at the center of the "he's not tough enough" debate. 

The lesson in all this for Watson is pretty clear: don't make promises you can't keep. What's far more egregious is the organization looking completely undressed by Watson being unable to play, particularly after missing practice all week.

"It's our job every week to know who will be available and who won't be available," head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday, in regards to how they'll prepare the team for a similar situation in Week Six. "You also have to be cognizant of the rest of the team. Sometimes two or three game plans that's too much to ask of the entire team. But there's ways to pivot both in game and throughout the week."

Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski watches from the sidelines during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Two weeks ago, the gameplan seemed retrofitted only for Watson and was not advantageous for a rookie quarterback who needed to get into rhythm early – another thing Thompson-Robinson talked about on Wednesday.

"I'm a rookie. This is my first time doing all this.... If I had to guess, I would hope [they'd cater it to me if I'm playing," he told reporters. "Just so I can kind of have more plays tailored to me, that's kind of what you want for a quarterback."

Stefanski, by his own admission, said preparing the team for multiple scenarios is part of his job, so how'd it go neglected two weeks ago is perplexing.

At least this time around, it appears the Browns head man seems to be going about it differently. Former XFLer, PJ Walker has already been named the starter if Watson can't play.