Browns Best Moves of 2022: #4 Signing Jacoby Brissett
The signing of Jacoby Brissett to be the interim quarterback of the Cleveland Browns was met with little fanfare as many were hoping for the team to sign Mitch Trubisky. When Deshaun Watson's 11-game suspension was announced, more pressure came to replace Brissett, this time clamoring for trades for players including Jimmy Garoppolo and Gardner Minshew among others. The Browns held firm with Brissett and it turned out to be one of the smarter moves the team made in 2022.
Trubisky once again floundered and Minshew threw half as many interceptions in two starts as Brissett did in 11. Garoppolo had a productive season, but suffered a season-ending injury, replaced by Brock Purdy, a rookie who outplayed him. Now, Brissett may be the most sought after free agent of the group. Coming off arguably the best season of his career, Brissett looks to be someone who will be competing for a starting job with a new team.
The decision for the Browns to go with Brissett came down to a few key factors. First and foremost, money. Brissett was paid $4.65 million for the 2022 season. Any of the other options would've cost more money, required draft picks or both. Second, Brissett was a quarterback put into a similar situation with the Indianapolis Colts, thrust into the starting lineup when Andrew Luck retired in August ahead of the 2019 season.
Lastly, Brissett also had a reputation of being a benefit within the locker room. He offered leadership and was a supportive teammate. It was a bonus that Brissett and Deshaun Watson had a pre-existing friendship.
The journeyman quarterback understood what the Browns opportunity could mean for him. He saw what might be his last chance to be a starter in the NFL and made it a point to savor every moment. Even though he was his own harshest critic, Brissett made it a point to enjoy the season. That job and his obvious intelligence to deflect and refocus questions he faced, charming both media members and fans in the process.
At a time when the Browns warranted scrutiny over the decision to acquire Watson, Brissett proved to be endearing, someone easy to rally behind. But none of that would have mattered had Brissett not been able to deliver on the field.
After a rocky start against the Carolina Panthers, one the team was able to eke out in the waning moments, Brissett found his footing and played better. In a year when the defense was expected to do enough to give the offense a chance to win games, Brissett had a number of games particularly early in the year where the offense did enough while the defense and special teams failed to hold the lead.
The team's 4-7 record with Brissett at the helm doesn't look like much, but beyond the meltdown against the New York Jets, the Browns had games against the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens they simply couldn't close.
Among the achievements Brissett had as the Browns starting quarterback, perhaps the most meaningful was the overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the game tying touchdown he threw to Njoku which sent the game to overtime. It was a moment he desperately wanted to deliver for the team. It was fitting that it was his last as the starter. Brissett's season was bookended by game winning drives.
With Brissett, the offense had the opportunity to function and playmakers shined. Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones as well as tight end David Njoku all had excellent seasons in part because Brissett was effective enough to enable them. They illustrated just how much potential that group has if and when Watson is able to reclaim or surpass the form he showed in 2020.
Brissett's season with the Browns put him in position to capitalize in free agency. The Browns, meanwhile, will get the compensatory value based on the contract Brissett signs with a new team. However, that isn't the only benefit the Browns received from Brissett's stint in Cleveland.
Brissett further enhanced Kevin Stefanski's reputation as a coach who can maximize the quarterback position, an offense in general. Stefanski was able to get the best of Baker Mayfield in 2020 and followed that up with Brissett in 2022.
Brissett completed passes at a higher rate that any point in his career (64 percent), threw for more yards per game (237) and set career marks in any number of different measures of efficiency ranging from quarterback rating, QBR and Pro Football Focus.
The reason the signing of Brissett move doesn't finish higher on this list simply comes down to the fact it was always going to be temporary. The best case scenario was for Brissett to show the rest of the league he was capable of being a starter, but since the Browns have their starter in Watson, it was not going to be here. Brissett shined in his role, but the goal was always for this to be for one season.
Reaching the playoffs in the 2022 season was a lofty goal for the Cleveland Browns considering their circumstances. Jacoby Brissett could've been better in a few spots, but had the Browns had a better defense, more consistent special teams, they might have done just that. The Browns signed Brissett, never wavered in their belief in him and he delivered. It was a great move for the Browns even if there are a few that were better.
