Browns Urged to Be Cautious with Difficult QB Situation

The Cleveland Browns are being urged to be careful with a difficult quarterback situation.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston throws the football. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns are going to have to make some tough decisions at the quarterback position in the coming months. No one knows what they're going to choose to do.

It sure sounds like Deshaun Watson will be back in 2025 and will be given a chance to compete for the starting job again. However, the Browns want to make sure that they have the best competition for him to go up against.

Looking at the situation, there are a few routes that Cleveland could choose to go.

First, they could re-sign quarterback Jameis Winston. He has looked good in the starts he has made for the franchise this season. Perhaps he would be able to win the full-time starting job next year.

Next, the Browns could opt to draft a quarterback. They're expected to end up with a high first-round pick and could consider taking their next long-term franchise guy.

Finally, there are a few quarterbacks on the free agency market that could be intriguing. Justin Fields happens to be one of them. They could try to find a player that fits into their budget.

One NFL analyst, Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports, believes that they need to be careful with one specific quarterback situation. That situation is rushing to give Winston a new contract.

“Why be in a rush right now?” Kinkhabwala said. “This is not one of those young guys you want to lock up before he suddenly gets more expensive. Let’s see how the rest of the season goes.”

That is a very good point. Cleveland could get caught up in the hype that is surrounding Winston and make a rash decision to keep him around. There is no need to make that decision now.

So far this season, Winston has made four starts. He has completed 62.2 percent of his pass attempts for 1,266 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions. In addition, he has picked up 46 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Truthfully, there are very few who would question that Winston is a better quarterback than Watson. If it comes down to Winston or Watson, the team should pick the former.

All of that being said, the Browns have to get this one right. They can't afford to make another mistake at the quarterback position.

Taking their time and being patient to make sure that they make the right call is imperative for the future of the franchise.