Who is the Browns backup quarterback?

August 18 update: Watson has been suspended 11 games and fined $5 million after a settlement with the NFL was announced on Thursday morning. The Browns have Jacoby Brissett, Josh Rosen and Joshua Dobbs in the QB room.

August 1 update: Deshaun Watson has been issued a six-game suspension for the 2022 season in violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy, Adam Schefter reported Monday. The NFL is likely to appeal the decision made by former federal judge Sue Robinson, in hopes of a larger suspension. If the six-game suspension stands, Jacoby Brissett would likely start the season at QB barring any shakeups (Josh Rosen, anyone?) until Watson were to make a return in Week 7 against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Cleveland Browns have traded QB Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers, Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. The move has been a long time coming since the team’s acquisition of Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans, further dissolving their relationship with their 2018 No. 1 overall pick.

Once the team acquired Watson, Mayfield was technically forced into a “backup” role, though it felt obvious that he wouldn’t be stepping on the field in a Browns uniform probably ever again. Now, heading into the 2022 NFL season, Jacoby Brissett will officially take the ranks as the team’s No. 2 quarterback behind Watson. He played with the Dolphins in the 2021 season, starting five games amidst a rib injury to starter Tua Tagovailoa. The team had a 2-3 record in his stint as the starter, throwing for 1,283 passing yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Brissett’s longest stint was previously with the Indianapolis Colts, where he totaled 30 starts filling in for an injured, and then retired, Andrew Luck. He’s in another interesting position in the 2022 season, where he could once again be asked to fill in as a starter for a period time with a looming suspension for Watson. Though he’s a solid game manager, the team wouldn’t likely ask too much of him, pairing their dynamic run game with a defense filled with play-makers for a ball-control style offense.