Before the NFL trade deadline, the Cleveland Browns made an attempt to reunite with a former starting quarterback, but their best offer was rejected.
On Tuesday, October 31, John Sabol of Fox8News in Cleveland posted on social media that the Browns had made an offer to the Washington Commanders for Jacoby Brissett, a sixth-round selection pick. But the Commanders rejected that suggestion.
“#Browns made a 6th-round selection offer to the #Commanders for Jacoby Brissett, according to @JPFinlayNBCS,” wrote Sabol. “This is related to what I said in a tweet earlier this afternoon that Washington is in control and would like more in exchange for Brissett.”
Browns’ Quarterback Room Was Depleted Before the 2023 Season
Under center, Cleveland has made a number of recent choices that have cost them dearly.
Prior to the start of the regular season, the Browns sold former backup Joshua Dobbs and a seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Before being sold by that team on Tuesday to the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round selection and a conditional seventh-round pick, Dobbs started eight games and played well for Arizona.
In Week 9, Dobbs will not start for the Vikings. But going ahead, he has a real chance to challenge youngster Jaren Hall for the starting position.
After a spell together, Cleveland invited Dobbs back in 2022 to take Brissett’s job. This summer, the Browns were unable to retain Brissett on the team mostly because he was seeking a chance at a starting position.
Deshaun Watson is just in his second season of a five-year, $230 million contract that is fully guaranteed, thus Cleveland was unable to give Brissett that opportunity. That agreement also states that Watson will hold the starting position come hell or high water once he is well.
Brissett thus agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract in Washington. He has yet to start a game for the Commanders in 2023 and is playing behind second-year quarterback Sam Howell. However, his opportunity might present itself at any time as Washington (3-5) decided to sell before the trade deadline and is preparing for the future.
Two Browns backups from a year ago may end up starting for three separate NFL teams in 2023, depending on how events in Minnesota and Washington turn out.
As the NFL Trade Deadline approaches, Browns depart with questions at quarterback.
The Browns placed a wager on Dorian Thompson-Robinson to trail Watson, anticipating they would require him, as Dobbs and Brissett were both prized at other places.
They needed him badly in Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens, following Watson’s injury to his shoulder in the Tennessee Titans game the Sunday before. After throwing three interceptions in his lone NFL debut, the rookie quarterback hasn’t touched the ball since. However, Watson’s shoulder problems have not gone away, so Cleveland is now staking a championship-caliber defensive season on P.J. Walker.
Before joining the Chicago Bears this summer, Walker spent three years as a backup with the Carolina Panthers. Walker was supposed to be the backup to Justin Fields in the Windy City, but the Bears swiftly changed their minds and gave Walker a $2 million contract in exchange for Walker being replaced by undrafted D-II rookie Tyson Bagent.
When the Browns (4-3) play the Cardinals on Sunday, it seems likely that Walker will start for the third time this year. Walker’s two prior starts, along with a game against the Indianapolis Colts when the quarterback played almost all of the offensive snaps, have resulted in six interceptions and only one score.
