The AFC North, at least on paper, is considered to be one of the toughest divisions in the NFL this season. The quarterbacks for the teams who call the division home, mainly the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, are all thought to be elite.
But for the Browns, their situation is unique. No, they aren’t replacing a legend like the Pittsburgh Steelers, they are dealing with losing their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, for a lengthy period of time.
The length of Watson’s suspension is not known at this time, but reports are suggesting the Browns are expecting a suspension of at least eight games. With that in mind, the team has started the process of filling out the depth chart with Watson out of the lineup.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Browns are working out AJ McCarron and Josh Rosen to be potential backups to Jacoby Brissett.
The Cleveland Browns are working out quarterbacks this week, including veterans AJ McCarron and Josh Rosen, per sources. Cleveland looking to go to training camp with four quarterbacks, with Jacoby Brissett to be the QB1 depending on what happens with Deshaun Watson’s status.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 21, 2022
If you were like me, you saw these reports and thought, “What about Joshua Dobbs?”
Dobbs was signed as a free agent this past offseason, and most thought he would round out the quarterback depth chart, even if Watson’s suspension was a lengthy one. With the talks of adding another arm, it seems Dobbs might be getting pushed down the depth chart — again.
There have even been rumors of the Browns flirting with a trade for Jimmy Garropolo of the San Francisco 49ers, but those are to just be considered rumors at this point.
In the meantime, the Steelers are preparing for life without Roethlisberger as they report to training camp at Saint Vincent College on July 26th. Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the 2022 regular season.