Browns quarterback Jameis Winston was never being shopped

When the Cleveland Browns announced their initial 53-man roster, it was a bit surprising to see four quarterbacks make the list. Of course, it was said the plan was for them to shop one of the backups.

While teams would clearly show interest in Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the Browns had no interest in dealing the second-year pro. That led to a belief they would send one of the veterans away and sources told Mary Kay Cabot they were "fielding calls" for Tyler Huntley and Jameis Winston.

Jordan Schultz then reported that Winston was never involved in any trade talks. He added that they still planned to make a move but that Winston was never going anywhere.

That makes sense given the team's recent history. Over the past two seasons, they've had Deshaun Watson for just 12 games with backups starting the other 22 - plus the one playoff appearance last year.

Watson did have shoulder surgery this offseason and while they expect him to be back, they understand how important a good QB2 is. And right now, Winston is one of the best backups in the NFL.

The No. 1 overall pick out of Florida State in 2015, Winston spent five years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started 70 games while appearing in 72 and had 19,737 yards with 121 touchdowns against 88 picks.

For the past four seasons, he's been with the New Orleans Saints and led them to a 6-4 mark in his 10 starts. He was the starter for seven games under Sean Payton in 2021 and had the Saints at 5-2 with a 14-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio before suffering a torn ACL.

Winston might not have lived up to his draft status but he's capable of moving the ball downfield and keeping him was the right call.

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