How will Jameis Winston look in his first start for the Browns?

Through the season’s first seven weeks, the Browns started Deshaun Watson at quarterback. That will change Sunday, when Jameis Winston will take over at quarterback after Watson’s season-ending Achilles injury suffered in Week 7 against the Bengals.

Winston has started 80 games in his career, which began in Tampa Bay where he was drafted with the first overall pick in the 2015 draft.

“I’m extremely grateful to have yet another opportunity to do what the Lord has called me to do in the NFL, and that’s to be a starting NFL quarterback,” Winston said on Wednesday. “So, I’m beyond grateful for this and I am prepared and I will do my very best.”

Winston has been used in a short yardage package in four of his five games this season, rushing for three first downs. After QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson on-Robinson left the Browns’ Week 7 matchup against the Bengals with a finger injury, Winston played a full drive for the first time this season, throwing for 67 yards and a touchdown to TE David Njoku.

Winston called his experience last week valuable and said that he has learned a lot about how to prepare as a starting NFL quarterback. Winston spent four seasons with the Saints after his time in Tampa Bay and backed up QB Drew Brees for one season in 2020.

“When I had the opportunity to sit behind Drew Brees and [head coach] Sean Payton in 2020, during the year of Covid, then I understood the importance of the process of being an NFL quarterback,” Winston said. “What does it take for a quarterback to make the plays that he should make and to not make the plays that he shouldn’t make? So, I think my evolution as a quarterback has been every year, but I believe knowing the plays not to make instead of knowing the plays that I am capable of making.”

Winston threw a league-high 30 interceptions in 2019 while also leading the league in touchdown passes with 30. He said it will be important for him to execute cleanly on offense without forcing the ball downfield.

“We have to continue to build on drives and give our defense a breather, whether that’s taking what the defense gives us – we all want to attack the ball down the field vertically. That’s explosive, that’s fun football and that’s what we’re trying to incorporate as an offense,” Winston said.