The Cleveland Browns managed to squeak out a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. From a last-minute score in regulation to a massive play in overtime, quarterback Jacoby Brissett deserved to win this one. As the Browns transition to quarterback Deshaun Watson starting tomorrow, they got Brissett a win in his last start with the team.
Brissett has given the Browns more than they could have envisioned this season when they signed him to step in during the suspension of Watson. Parting with Baker Mayfield this offseason (who officially will not yield a fourth round pick for the Browns), the Browns knew they needed someone with starting experience to step in.
And they went to Brissett, signing him to a one-year deal this offseason.
Brissett exceeded expectations with Browns
The Browns needed Brissett to be just as good as Mayfield was to stay in games this year, and he gave them much more than that. And given who Brissett had been as a quarterback, starting games for all of his three former teams, volatile play was to be expected.
And while there were some classic Brissett moments this season, the 29-year-old instead went out and had a career year with the Browns.
Heading into his last start of the season, Brissett found himself ranked sixth in QBR and fifth in DVOA according to Football Outsiders. These numbers indicate that Brissett has been incredibly efficient for the Browns this season.
Using traditional Quarterback Rating, Brissett is also hitting career marks this season with the Browns as well. Using a full 17-game sample at the pace he played entering this game, Brissett would have posted career numbers in all of completion percentage, passing yards, and touchdowns as well.
If it were not for a historically bad run defense, this Brissett-led Cleveland offense that ranked as the fourth-most efficient overall and seventh-most through the air would have boasted a much better record as well.
Brissett may just see a team looking to bridge to a rookie quarterback shell out a lot of money for him this off-season.
He has been a breath of fresh air
It has not been an easy season, to say the least for the Browns. Going back to the end of last season, we suffered through a messy breakup with Mayfield, a polarizing and highly-critical move to trade for Watson, and a now 4-7 record to show through 11 games. Yet through it all, Brissett has been a bright spot week in and week out.
It is incredibly hard to find a bad quote about Brissett from anyone. Anywhere he has been, Brissett has been a beloved leader. From New England to Indianapolis, to Miami, to Cleveland, Brissett has understood who he is as a quarterback and as a leader.
What is next for Jacoby Brissett and the Browns
The easy place to start here is to say the Browns have six more games left, and six more opportunities for Brissett to be a leader on this football team. It would be great to sit here and say he will be back with the Browns again next season as their backup quarterback.
However given the career numbers he has hit during this 11-game stretch, it feels unlikely that Brissett will not be allowed to start elsewhere next season. And this is nothing short of a positive as Brissett has made himself a great deal of money this season.
A bundle of joy, a great leader, and a quarterback putting together a career year, Brissett may just go down as one of the best quarterbacks to cover in this Cleveland Browns’ franchise since their return in 199.
