The Browns have announced that P.J. Walker will start on Sunday, which means another name can be added to that infamous jersey.
A 36th name, to be exact.
Walker will be the 36th different starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999, when they returned to the NFL after the previous iteration of their franchise moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. The Browns have started more different quarterbacks than any other team during that stretch. Relatedly, the Browns have been the laughingstocks of the NFL.
The Deshaun Watson trade was supposed to change things, as Watson was supposed to give Cleveland the elite quarterback it had desired for so long. Instead, Watson has only made the Browns look even worse: Millions of NFL fans were appalled that the Browns were so eager to acquire Watson even as he faced accusations of sexual assault and harassment from more than two dozen women, and even setting that appalling episode aside, Watson has played poorly since his NFL suspension ended and he became the Browns’ starter last season.
The Browns traded three first-round picks, a third-round pick and two fourth-round picks to the Texans for Watson, gave Watson the most lucrative guaranteed contract in NFL history, and have watched as Watson has played like a backup, not a franchise quarterback. Starting quarterbacks playing like backups is something Browns fans know too well. The full list of their starting quarterbacks since 1999 is below.
Tim Couch, Ty Detmer, Doug Pederson, Spergon Wynn, Kelly Holcomb, Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey, Bruce Gradkowski, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, Brandon Weeden, Thad Lewis, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw, Josh McCown, Austin Davis, Cody Kessler, Robert Griffin III, DeShone Kizer, Kevin Hogan, Baker Mayfield, Tyrod Taylor, Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, PJ Walker.
