The NFL Must Find A Way To Assure Jameis Winston Is A Starting QB For The Remainder Of His Career
What a delightful game of NFL football. Browns vs Broncos was a treat to watch from start to finish. Entirely thanks to the almighty God fearing (yet slightly problematic) QB extraordinaire, Jameis Laneed Winston. Jameis provided us with everything you want to see in a football game. Yards and points. Jameis Winston had yards and points spilling from right arm all night long. More yards and points than his own team could handle. That just the type of QB he is. An unselfish, gunslinging, snow loving, maybe-did-something-rapey-in-college-but-it-was-settled-out-of-court-so-everyone-just-kinda-let-it-slide type of quarterback. He was everything an NFL fan wants to see on a Monday night.
But somehow... someway... after what we all witnessed yesterday. And what we all witnessed the week prior in snowy Cleveland, Ohio. This is where Cleveland Browns fan, Jeff D. Lowe's mind went immediately following the game.
Not, "Thank you Jameis for blessing us with the most entertaining football game of the week".
Not, "I'm so lucky to have a quarterback as fun and exciting as Jameis Winston".
Not, "I wish Jameis Winston would quarterback every NFL team, along with all 134 FBS college programs, and the 9 professional teams in Canada."
Nope. Browns fans are already ushering Jameis Winston out the door.
Now for a fan whose main interest is "winning football games", I suppose I can see where people like Jeff D. Lowe are coming from. I can understand how watching Jameis Winston throw for 171 yards in the wrong direction, and rack up 14 points for the opposing team, might be less enjoyable when you're concerned with things like "maybe making the playoffs again someday". But unfortunately, someone has to bear the cross that is starting quarterback Jameis Winston.
If the Cleveland Browns are going to selfishly refuse that responsibility, there are 31 other teams in the NFL. At no point in Jameis Winston's 10 year career has there been 32 quarterbacks better suited to lead a team. He will most certainly be a top 32 QB in the league next year as well. In an NFL where passing yards are down, and games are becoming more and more boring by the year, the NFL needs Jameis Winston starting now more than ever. If the Browns insist on doing wHaT's bEst fOr tHeiR frAnChiSe, and decide to move on from Jameis, we simply cannot afford to see him sign with a team that plans to sit him on the bench.
I don't care how they do it. I don't care if they have to re-write the rules, and let Jameis sign some sort of special contract that allows him to bounce from team to team depending on who needs him most at any given time. Let's say Tua Tagovailoa suffers his 37th concussion in training camp next season. In that case, Jameis would go to the Dolphins. When Tua's brain has "recovered", and he's ready to play again (despite the entire world begging him to please just fucking retire), then Jameis goes back on the market. Maybe he's goes to the highest bidder. Maybe he's treated like he's on waivers. The only stipulation would be that whoever picks him up is required to start him. If they ever decide to move Jameis to the bench, then he goes right back on the market.
If we find ourselves an a situation where no team will willingly have Jameis Winston as their starter, then the NFL will be forced to step in and assign him to a team. That team will be legally obligated to start him. "Sorry Jacksonville, but we've seen enough of Trevor Lawrence. He is not your QB of the future. For the good of the sport, Jameis Winston will be taking over."
But I don't think it would even come to that. There will always be a team with injuries at quarterback. There will always be a fan base who's fed up enough with their current situation that they'll welcome Jameis Winston with open arms. Consider the landscape of the NFL right now. Jameis is clearly the best option for the Browns. But even if he wasn't, you'd at minimum have the Giants, Cowboys, Titans, Raiders, and probably the Jaguars now that Trevor Lawrence has been decapitated.
Some teams might be upset with taking on Jameis in a scenario where they're trying to tank their season (i.e. the NY Giants right now). But if that's the concern, then just open up the playbook. Let Jameis throw the ball 60 times. Lose your games 49-45, with 3 pick sixes every week. You don't have to tank by playing the most boring brand of football possible. Why not tank in style? Tank with Jameis Winston.
That's just an idea. All I know is that I'm going to be sick if we have to watch any more dog shit football games while Jameis Winston rots on the bench somewhere. The Saints already wasted 4 years of his career. Jameis Winston ages 26-29 was just sitting there doing nothing in the prime of his life. That's hundreds of TD's & INT's, and 15,000 yards of offense we were robbed of. But thankfully, Jameis has plenty of great & terrible football left in the tank. The NFL needs to do everything in their power to make sure they squeeze as much juice out of the latter half of his career as they possibly can.