Browns Slapped With Brutal Reality Check After Chiefs Loss

The Cleveland Browns must face reality after their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Dec 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) takes the field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in ugly fashion on Sunday, losing 21-7 to drop to 3-11 on the season.

It has certainly been a lost year for the Browns, who entered the campaign with playoff aspirations but instead are now looking forward to a top NFL Draft pick.

What's more, Cleveland was slapped with a brutal reality check in Week 15: its answer at quarterback does not reside on its current roster.

Jameis Winston was benched in favor of Dorian Thompson-Robinson late in the game after throwing three interceptions. Thompson-Robinson then threw a pick of his own.

It's abundantly clear that Winston is not the Browns' solution under center. Then there's Thompson-Robinson, who is just 25 years old and only in his second season. But it's hard to get excited about a quarterback who has totaled one touchdown and seven interceptions over two years.

There was some chatter earlier in the season—particularly when Winston looked kind of solid—that Cleveland could actually roll with an offensive tackle in the first round of the draft this coming April.

Yes, offensive line is a prominent issue for the Browns, but let's be real here: the main problem for Cleveland is at signal-caller, and given that the Browns will almost surely have a terrific pick, they should absolutely take a quarterback in Round 1.

Cleveland could always re-sign Winston as a veteran mentor to the incoming rookie. Deshaun Watson will probably still be on the roster, but he is recovering from a torn Achilles and may very well have played his last snap as a Brown.

The point is that Cleveland needs to make the smart decision and go with a quarterback this spring. Winston isn't taking the Browns anywhere, and while Thompson-Robinson played well at UCLA, it doesn't seem like he has what it takes to succeed on the NFL level. Or, at the very least, Cleveland cannot pin its future on him.

Time for the Browns to admit the obvious: they need a new quarterback.

It's time to start fresh.