Tag: Deshaun Watson

Report: Browns closing in on deal with Jameis Winston

Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz says the Cleveland Browns are closing in on a deal with Jameis Winston:

Jameis Winston is closing in on a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, which would shut the door on his time with the New Orleans Saints. Winston had previously said he hoped to find a team where he could compete for a starting job, but instead he’ll be backing up Deshaun Watson if this deal goes through.

It makes sense when you look at the money: a maximum value of $8.7 million, Schultz says, which is more than twice what Winston received from the Saints last year. Fine money for a backup, and he had his choice of options after other teams expressed interest in his services.

And this might be a better opportunity than it first appears. Watson missed most of the 2023 season recovering from an injured throwing shoulder, and if durability continues to be a problem for him then Winston could get on the field for Cleveland in 2024.

Of course we aren’t crossing the finish line just yet. Deals may be agreed to right now but they can’t be signed until after Wednesday’s 3 p.m. CT deadline. The Jacksonville Jaguars learned that the hard way when former Saints kicker Wil Lutz backed out of an agreement to stay with the Denver Broncos. But it sure looks like Winston will be out of New Orleans very soon.

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Two more teams emerge as suitors for Jameis Winston

Two more teams emerged as suitors for Jameis Winston. He isn’t lacking for options as free agency takes shape:

Jameis Winston isn’t lacking for options outside the New Orleans Saints. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson repots that the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants are “among new teams that’ve shown preliminary interest” in Winston, along with the previously-reported Cleveland Browns.

Winston has said he intends to search for a team where he can compete to start, and the Titans look like the best fit — the only person standing in his way is second-year quarterback Will Levis, who wasn’t drafted by the new Tennessee coaching staff. Levis started nine games as a rookie, completing 58.4% of his passes, scoring 8 touchdown passes, and throwing 4 interceptions while being sacked 28 times with 7 fumbles. The Titans went 3-6 before overhauling their coaching staff.

Compare that to the other two situations, where the Browns and Giants must start Deshaun Watson and Daniel Jones after paying them so highly. At the same time, both of those quarterbacks missed extensive time with injuries last season, so these could be better opportunities for Winston to get on the field than they first appear. We’ll see where he ends up, but it’s looking like he won’t necessarily have to stay with the Saints in 2024.

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Saints free agency rumors: Browns interested in signing Jameis Winston

The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin reports the Browns are interested in signing Jameis Winston as a backup quarterback, not a starter:

It’s too early to say that a market is developing for his services, but at least one team is seriously considering Jameis Winston as free agency takes shape: the Cleveland Browns, per the Boston Globe’s senior NFL reporter Ben Volin.

There’s just one thing. Volin reports that the Browns view Winston as a backup for starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, but Winston has been vocal about his desire to start games for a team, which he knows isn’t going to happen with Derek Carr entrenched on the New Orleans Saints.

Watson has strong job security in Cleveland, too, so if the only offers out there are backup gigs then it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Winston stays in New Orleans. Still, Watson missed most of the season with an injured throwing shoulder, and Winston could see this as an opportunity to get on the field if he misses more time.

So it’s something to watch for in the days ahead. Because of the way Winston’s contract is constructed, the Saints will need to release him with a post-June 1 designation if he’s going to leave and join another team, just like with Michael Thomas. If he intends to stay in New Orleans they’ll need to tear up his current deal and write a new contract. There are many moving parts this time of the year so expect more development in the days ahead.

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Clemson ranked as the No. 2 best team of the 4-team College Football Playoff era

According to ESPN, Clemson is the second-best team of the college football playoff era.

Since the start of the College Football Playoff era, there have been few, if more than one, teams that have been as good as Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers.

Looking at the Tigers’ resume since the start of the playoff, it’s tough to argue against how impressive they’ve been. With two National Championships wins, both coming against Nick Saban and Alabama, along with his eight ACC Championships, programs dream of runs like the Tigers’ have had.

Recently, ESPN graded all 84 teams to ever be ranked by the college football playoff committee, with Clemson ranking No. 2 with an A grade. The only team ranked higher was No. 1 Alabama.

Record: 119-20
Average SP+: 22.2 (3rd)

The Tigers have two national titles, played for two others, won 10 games nine times and have spent 35 weeks in the committee’s top four, trailing only Alabama. And yet, Dabo Swinney still has to deal with angry callers to his radio show questioning whether the program is still relevant. Yes, Clemson has missed the playoff the past three years. And in that span, the Tigers are 30-10 — only the seventh-best record among Power 5 teams. As slumps go, we should all be so lucky.

Over the span of 2015-16 to 2020-21, the Tigers pulled off an impressive feat, making it to the Playoff a remarkable six times in a row. Their consistent appearances stand out, considering that only Alabama managed more with eight entries into the four-team postseason. What makes Clemson’s achievement even more noteworthy is that, historically, they didn’t carry the same level of prestige and history as powerhouse teams like Alabama and Ohio State. Before the Tigers embarked on their own era of dominance, the football world often associated the biggest names with places like Tuscaloosa and Columbus. However, Clemson’s impressive run altered the narrative and solidified their place among the elite in college football.

They make excellent points about the Tigers current slump too. While fans are quick to complain and have rightfully high expectations, reality is also something we need to acknowledge. Clemson had a historic run and while they are by no means done, it is important to understand that like any sport, it’s a game of runs. It’s how the Tigers recover from this slump that matters.

A look at Browns’ current roster before NFL free agency opens up

Here is what the Browns’ roster currently looks like before they add new faces to their roster in NFL free agency.


The Cleveland Browns are set to get to work next week as NFL free agency opens up.

They have already restructured one contract in cornerback Denzel Ward to make $11 million in cap space available, and it will surely not be the last one they mess around with as the Browns will have plenty of money to spend when free agency finally arrives. They also have seven draft picks, so the opportunity to add talent to the roster is not lost on the Browns despite what ill-advised think pieces might be on the internet.

They do, however, have needs at multiple positions on the roster. Defensive tackle is a massive one, as only Dalvin Tomlinson played meaningful snaps of the four currently under contract. Wide receiver will also be upgraded, likely through both free agency and the 2024 NFL draft.

Before free agency hits, however, here are the current 50 players under contract with 40 spots left to fill before training camp begins.

Browns team grades: Determining how the plethora of QBs played in 2023

The Cleveland Browns Quarterbacks deserved a D grade for how they played in 2023.

The offseason is a fantastic time to reflect on the long and absurd NFL season. The clarity provided by hindsight is a powerful tool in the chaotic nature of the season when fans live and die with each passing week. This is the perfect time to grade the play of the Cleveland Browns, specifically Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, and the rest of the quarterbacks.

The quarterback room deserves a D+ after their collective performance this season. The five quarterbacks could not get on the same page as the rest of the offense. Without consistency, the offense faltered in the face of adversity.

The Browns had one of the worst passing offenses in football. The quarterbacks threw for 3,693 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions on 624 pass attempts. Their -0.131 dropback EPA ranked in the bottom five of the NFL. 

Joe Flacco had the best statistical output of the quarterbacks. Deshaun Watson was the better quarterback, per analytics. He held the highest EPA and completion percentage over expected.’ Rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and veteran P.J. Walker were among the worst quarterbacks in the NFL.

To the credit of the multiple quarterbacks, they managed games to keep the team battling before leading them to victory in clutch moments. The defense did a fantastic job in giving the Browns’ quarterbacks a giant margin for error. However, the quarterbacks pulled through more often than not. 

Here are my grades for the Browns’ quarterbacks this season.

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These 20 Browns players currently hold the highest salary cap hits in 2024

Cap numbers can be scary, but also temporary. The Browns will restructure deals to lower cap hits this offseason, but here are the top cap hits on the roster as it stands today.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson has a salary cap hit that nearly triples the next member of the Cleveland Browns in 2024.

It is important to remember these numbers are extremely malleable. Last year, general manager Andrew Berry and the Browns restructured a handful of contracts to clear cap space, and they will do that again this year as well. Starting with their starting quarterback.

Berry has been among the most aggressive general managers in the NFL during his time with the Browns, and this offseason will be no different. But that starts with clearing cap space as the team currently sits $19 million in the red. Who are the biggest candidates beyond Deshaun Watson to see their contracts restructured? Look at the top of their cap hits. The majority of them will likely see their numbers reworked and their base salary converted to bonuses.

Here are Cleveland’s top-20 salary cap hits as they get set for free agency, the 2024 NFL draft, and the new league year.

Report: Browns QB Deshaun Watson set to resume throwing in March

The quarterback continues to work his way back from surgery

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was shut down in November with a shoulder injury that required the veteran to have surgery. The team has said publicly that he is progressing well in his rehab and Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot says he will begin throwing in March.

Despite not having Watson the Browns finished with 11 wins and another playoff birth, Kevin Stefanski won his second Coach of the Year award in four years. Now the team is committed to taking the next step and molding their offense to fit Watson bringing in several different voices on the offensive coaching staff.

Having Watson throwing before the offseason program will go a long way in working with the new staff to shape the new-look offense in 2024. A lot is riding on how Watson plays this season, and being able to begin throwing soon is a major win for the Browns.

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Clemson offensive stars we’d love to see in EA Sports’ College Football

A list of Clemson football offensive stars fans and gamers would love to play with on EA’s new college football series.

College football fans and gamers have been waiting a long time for a new video game to play NCAA football on Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox consoles. After more than 10 years, that wait appears to be almost over.

EA Sports announced last week that it was officially relaunching its heralded college football franchise, previously known as ‘NCAA Football,’ sometime this summer. The game will be titled ‘EA Sports College Football 25.’

Who will be on the cover and other details have yet to be finalized, but various reports state that a release date for the video game is expected to be sometime this summer, likely in either July or August.

The last college football game that was released by EA Sports was NCAA Football 14. That game featured former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson on the cover. The ‘NCAA’ series was discontinued in 2013 after a wave of lawsuits over name, image and likeness.

For Clemson fans that didn’t hold on to PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 consoles and use downloaded rosters from other online gamers, that means they missed out on playing with a lot of Tiger legends from the Dabo Swinney era.

With that in mind, we decided to put together a list of Clemson football stars from the past 10 years that we’re sure fans and gamers alike would love to play with on EA’s new college football series if the makers of the game decide to allow users to access past players.

Mike Tannenbaum proposes ridiculous Daniel Jones-DeShaun Watson trade

Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum proposes the New York Giants make a ridiculous Daniel Jones for DeShaun Watson trade.

Deshaun Watson a New York Giant?

Don’t laugh. Former New York Jets general manager and current ESPN NFL analyst, Mike Tannenbaum, is suggesting the Giants trade for the troubled Cleveland Browns quarterback in a deal that would include Daniel Jones.

Speaking on the ESPN show Get Up this week, Tannenbaum outlined a deal that would send Jones to Cleveland in exchange for Watson and a second-round pick.

“Hear me out: If you’re the Cleveland Browns, you have Dorian Thompson-Robinson, you have Joe Flacco and now, a 27-year-old Daniel Jones who has one year left of guaranteed money for $36 million and an enormous amount of flexibility moving forward,” Tannebaum said, via the New York Post.

“If you’re the Giants, you’re getting Deshaun Watson, who’s 29, who’s making $46 million a year for the next three years and a second-round pick. To me, you need a front-line, difference-making quarterback. Right now, if you’re the Giants, how in the world do you win the NFC if you have to beat San Francisco, Green Bay, Dallas, Philly, and Detroit with Daniel Jones?”

The Giants, of course, would never even entertain such a trade, especially for Watson, whose troubled past would surely bring even more negative light on the team.

Jones may have been inconsistent and unavailable due to injuries during his five-year Giants career, but he is a model citizen. General manager Joe Schoen knows the Giants’ ownership wouldn’t go for it, either, so he’s not even thinking about Watson right now.

With the sixth pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the Giants — if they are serious about moving on from Jones — would use that pick to do it.

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