Browns have Jameis Winston, Tyler Huntley trade intrigue after surprise quarterback decision

Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley may not want to lock into those Cleveland leases yet.

The Browns will listen to offers for the pair of backup quarterbacks and could possibly trade one of them despite both making the initial 53-man roster, according to Cleveland.com.

Cleveland has told fellow backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson he has made the team, per the report, which seemingly pencils him in to be either the No. 2 or No. 3 behind starter Deshaun Watson.

The Vikings and Chargers are considered possible trade partners, according to the report.

That the Browns are looking to potentially deal one of their quarterbacks serves a reminder as to how surviving the 53-man roster cut doesn’t mean a player will automatically make it to Week 1.

Teams churn the bottom of their roster in search of potential upgrades and teams look to use positions of strength to bolster positions of need.

The Browns could keep four quarterbacks, but that’s probably not the wisest strategy for a win-now team like Cleveland.

Cleveland signed Winston this offseason to a one-year deal worth $4 million that can max at $8.7 million, per NFL Network, and is a better player than Huntley.

However, with the Browns committing to Thompson-Robinson, the 2023 fifth-rounder from UCLA, Winston could potentially serve more purpose as a trade chip than to be potentially the No. 3 quarterback.

The report noted that Watson’s availability could depend on just how comfortable the Browns are with making Thompson-Robinson the primary backup.

Cleveland is aiming to avoid a repeat of last year’s mistake when they traded Joshua Dobbs to the Cardinals and Thompson-Robinson struggled in relief of an injured Watson.

The Browns later signed Joe Flacoo, who proved to be a revelation and led them to the playoffs.

Huntley served as Lamar Jackson’s backup for four seasons before landing with the Browns this offseason and has shown he can be a capable fill-in if needed.

He’s a dual-threat quarterback, which may make him a better fit for certain offenses.

The backup role in Cleveland is important since Watson is coming off a shoulder injury that sidelined him the final 11 games of the 2023 season.

The Browns open their season at home against the Cowboys on Sept. 8.