The Cleveland Browns are trying to see if young quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson will develop into a piece that could eventually be worthwhile in the future. Based on how the first few games of his career have gone, the answer is a resounding no.
Thompson-Robinson entered Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins with one touchdown pass and nine interceptions to his name in the pros. If one could imagine it, his numbers somehow got even worse against a very beatable Miami defense in Cleveland.
DTR was intercepted in the first half, giving him 10 picks against the one score for his career. He even threw in a lost fumble for good measure. The Browns youngster may be developing and working on his game, but he has since found himself in the worst kind of rarified air with his ineptitude.
Since the 1998 season, the only quarterback to start their career with one touchdown pass and 10 interceptions was Ryan Leaf, regarded by many as the worst draft pick in league history. Anytime you're anywhere near what Leaf was as a quarterback, you're probably doing something wrong.
Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson matches Ryan Leaf with interception mark
Thompson-Robinson's selling points coming out of UCLA were his playmaking out of structure and solid intermediate accuracy. The fact he has often struggled in both of those areas isn very concerning, especially considering the deficiencies in other parts of his overall game.
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DTR has well below-average arm strength, which can often be amplified in cold-weather cities that require a strong throw to cut through the frigid air. What was once an open throwing window in college is not the same in the pros, and Thompson-Robinson is finding that out the hard way in his second season.
The difference between what DTR has done this year and what Jameis Winston did as the starter is night and day. Winston is still turnover-prone, but his strong downfield arm helped unlock Jerry Jeudy and make the Browns a competitive team. Thompson-Robinson has looked so in over his skis that one must wonder if some more nefarious tank jobs are at play here.
Thompson-Robinson is not the future of the Browns, as he has regressed to the point where he doesn't even look suited for backup work at this rate. Cleveland is watching this while Tyler Huntley, whom they released this offseason in favor of DTR, is leading Miami to a win.