Dorian Thompson-Robinson will get the start at quarterback when the Cleveland Browns play at the Cincinnati Bengals, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal. He’ll become the third starting quarterback this season for Cleveland this season, the 11th time its had at least that many starting quarterbacks in a season since the 1999 expansion season.
The Orange and Brown Report’s Brad Stainbrook was the first to report.
Thompson-Robinson held a holiday event at the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio’s Broadway location in Cleveland on Tuesday. He talked to a small group of media there about the opportunity, as well as how much he’s learned from the quarterback he’s replacing, Jameis Winston.
‘Obviously, excited for the opportunity,’ Thompson-Robinson told reporters at the event. ‘Still going to prepare and study the same way I do every week and looking to go out there and get a win.
‘It’s never-ending. I’m always trying to learn and grow. I learned a tremendous amount from watching Jameis. I’m looking to use all of that on Sunday.’
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All indications coming out of Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was that this move was forthcoming. Winston had been pulled with 7:57 remaining in the game in place of Thompson-Robinson, who played out the final two Cleveland possessions.
However, head coach Kevin Stefanski refused to name a starter for the Bengals game, both immediately after the game and again on a Zoom call with the media on Monday. He said on Monday the team was ‘still putting this (Chiefs) game to bed.’
By Tuesday, that game was apparently tucked away and it was on to Cincinnati. And on to another starting quarterback.
Thompson-Robinson will get the final three games as an extended opportunity for the Browns to find out what they have in the 2023 fifth-round draft pick out of UCLA. He’s had three starts previously over his two years in the league, all coming last season in place of an injured Deshaun Watson.
Watson’s Achilles injury in Week 7 of this season against the Bengals opened the door for Thompson-Robinson’s most extensive playing time of the season to date. He came on with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter to finish out the Cleveland scoring drive, then played the next seven possessions, which included a half-ending kneel-down, before a finger injury led to him being replaced by Winston for the final drive.
Thompson-Robinson was 11-of-24 for 82 yards and two interceptions, with a 19.8 passer rating against the Bengals. The most expansive playing time he’s seen since then was against the Chiefs, when he completed 4-of-9 passes for 18 yards, an interception and a 12.0 passer rating.
Thompson-Robinson’s first career start came in an emergency start in Week 4 of last season against the Ravens, which he learned about only hours before due to a rotator cuff injury in Watson’s throwing shoulder. He went 19-of-36 for 121 yards with three interceptions, four sacks and a 25.3 passer rating.
Watson’s season-ending shoulder injury in Week 10 that season against Baltimore opened the door for Thompson-Robinson again to start. He helped lead the Browns to a Week 11 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers before being knocked out of the Week 12 loss at Denver with a concussion at the end of the third quarter.
Joe Flacco replaced Thompson-Robinson the following week, while the rookie appeared in three more games. A Week 16 hip injury at Houston ended his season, while also delaying when he was able to start full participation in the offseason program last spring.
As a rookie, Thompson-Robinson finished 60-of-112 (53.6%) for 440 yards with a touchdown, four interceptions and a 51.2 passer rating. He also ran it 14 times for 65 yards.
Thompson-Robinson has made two other appearances this season, in Week 11 at New Orleans and the next week against the Steelers. He threw one incomplete pass in five combined plays in those games.
Winston’s seven-game run as the Browns’ starting quarterback was ended due to the number of interceptions he threw. Eight of his 12 picks came in the last three games, including three-pick days both in Week 13 at the Broncos and last Sunday against Kansas City.
Sunday against the Chiefs, Winston threw two of his three picks in the end zone, spoiling potential scoring chances. He was 16-of-25 for 146 yards, getting sacked five times and finishing with a 40.2 passer rating.
Winston completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,121 yards. He threw 13 TDs to 12 interceptions, with another two fumbles lost on 24 sacks and an 80.6 passer rating.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
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