As Steve Doerschuk, my good friend and the former longtime Browns beat writer from the Canton Repository, pointed out to me a day or two before it became a topic of conversation, the Browns bypassed last season’s team hero Joe Flacco and instead signed Jameis Winston as their backup quarterback for a specific reason.

Signing the well-accomplished Flacco would have been too big of a presence lurking in the shadows for starter Deshaun Watson to handle. He would have been constantly looking over his shoulder, and understandably so. Had Watson struggled over an extended period, then the fans‘ clamor for Flacco would’ve been deafening. But if that happens with Winston as the backup, then there will be absolutely no clamoring for a change. Winston doesn’t have that kind of résumé and ability.

So, then, Watson can mess up all he wants without fear of being pulled. That’s good if all you’re worried about is being is boosting Watson‘s confidence. But this is about winning, and the Browns have to focus on that first and foremost. Apparently, though, they aren’t going to do that. They like Winston, because in addition to not being a threat to Watson, he has the same type of skill set in that he is big and athletic, and as such fits their offensive scheme.

But again, can he play? And if he does, how is he going to play?

Because even if Watson doesn’t mess up, he’s going to get injured . Quarterbacks do tend to get injured — all of them, because it’s a brutal sport — and Watson is more prone to that because of his style of play of taking off and running.

When that happens, how will Winston play? If he plays poorly, then the Browns are going to hear it from their fans.

I just wish that once, for goodness sakes, that winning and not making the starting quarterback look good and feel good was the top priority in Berea. That it is not makes me upset, disappointed and dismayed.

Steve King