The Cleveland Browns officially said goodbye to quarterback Jameis Winston on Tuesday — although it was a bit overdue.
Winston moved on after a season in Cleveland, signing with the New York Giants in free agency. He inked a two-year deal worth $8 million with the Giants.
Winston is a former No. 1 overall pick and added some starts to his resume while in Cleveland. Winston stepped into the starting role after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 7.
In his first start for Cleveland, Winston led the Browns to a 29-24 upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens, throwing for 334 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. However, Winston’s subsequent performances were mixed. In Week 13 against the Denver Broncos, he set a franchise record with 497 passing yards and four touchdowns but also threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns in the loss.
He amassed 2,121 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions but was eventually benched in favor of second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
It wasn’t the best of times during a 3-14 campaign but Winston brought positive energy to the team with his viral moments and leadership in the locker room. The team said goodbye to Winston in a message posted on social media.
“Appreciate you, [Jameis Winston]!” a post from the official team account read. “Thanks for bringing your infectious energy and passion for the game to our team all year. We’ll always have the snow globe game. Good luck in New York.”
Jameis Winston Will be in QB Room With Russell Wilson
Getty ImagesFormer Browns quarterback Jameis Winston has signed with the Giants.
Shortly after signing Winston, the Giants signed Russell Wilson to a deal to presumptively be their starting quarterback. Wilson had also visited the Browns in free agency.
“I knew a free agent signing was going to come or maybe even a draft pick was going to come,” Winston said during his introductory press conference. “But that’s their business. My business is today, and today I have the privilege of finally becoming a Giant.”
Winston knows he’ll have to compete to be the starter in New York. But he’s also open to taking on any role he’s tasked with, as he did in Cleveland.
“My role was explained to me as there is an opportunity at the quarterback position that we’re looking forward to getting better at,” Winston said. “I signed up for that because I’m looking forward to getting better and being my very best self.
“So that’s how it was. I didn’t get a clean explanation of my role because I played so many different roles already. I’ve played every role that the quarterback room has to offer, so I’m ready for anything.”
Browns Sorting Through QB Options
Getty ImagesBrowns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The only healthy quarterback on the Browns roster currently is Kenny Pickett. Cleveland traded for Pickett in March, bringing him over from the Philadelphia Eagles, where he backed up Jalen Hurts.
The Browns’ options in free agency are limited, and the team has expressed confidence in Pickett as a potential starter. However, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski also acknowledged that a lot can still change in terms of the team’s quarterback depth.
“Obviously it’s March 31, so there’s still a draft to be had,” Stefanski said at the NFL Annual Meeting on Monday. “It’s not August 1, so I will say this: Kenny Pickett’s a guy that I believe in, that we believe in. So we’ll see how it all shakes out.”
Pickett has passed for 4,765 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions during his career. He’s 15-10 as a starter.
