Browns starting quarterback situation again unclear after Dorian Thompson-Robinson suffers concussion

DENVER - The Joe Flacco era may arrive for the Browns sooner than anyone expected.

Starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson took a crushing hit on the next-to-last play of the third quarter on Sunday against the Broncos and left the game. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said he is in the concussion protocol.

Thompson-Robinson was scrambling on a third-and-12 play from the Browns 23-yard line trying to find an open receiver when, after scrambling all the way back to the goal line, Broncos linebacker Baron Browning launched into the rookie quarterback, hitting Thompson-Robinson’s right shoulder and arm with his helmet as Thompson-Robinson threw the ball away.

The flag for roughing the passer was delayed but the officials threw it after Thompson-Robinson crumpled to the ground.

“Hard to tell (if it crossed the line),” left guard Joel Bitonio said about the hit. “It was such a flash for me. I didn’t really get to see where he hit him at and stuff like that. I know they’re trying to take the helmet, even if you use it to lead to the body and stuff like that, out of it. So I think it got him in the chin maybe it looked like, which is not something you want to do.”

Browning didn’t think it crossed the line.

“I didn’t think it was a dirty hit, but they called it, so what can I do about it?” he told reporters after the game .

Thompson-Robinson walked to the blue medical tent and, after a while, walked back to the locker room with members of the training staff with a towel over his head.

P.J. Walker replaced Thompson-Robinson.

“For DTR, personal health is the first thing,” Bitonio said. “They threw a flag on it. It was a hard hit, probably one of the harder hits I’ve seen in a while. So you hope he’s okay.”

Stefanski said he didn’t know of any other injuries sustained by Thompson-Robinson and wouldn’t commit to anything regarding his starting quarterback for the Rams on Sunday.

“Let’s see how he does this week with the protocol,” Stefanski said.

The concussion put a stop to what was becoming a promising game for the fifth-round pick. He led a 13-play, 79-yard touchdown drive on the previous series, completing 4-of-7 passes for 46 yards - overcoming multiple drops - and threw the first touchdown of his career. The drive pulled the Browns to within 14-12 and an Amari Cooper drop on the ensuing two-point try is all that prevented the Browns from tying the game.

The Browns defense held Denver to a field goal on their next possession and Thompson-Robinson took over at their own 25 to start the next drive.

“I thought DTR went out there, played a hell of a game today and it showed his toughness and it’s just tough,” Walker said.

Thompson-Robinson completed 14-of-29 passes for 134 yards and a rating of 73.1 before leaving the game and added 21 rushing yards on five carries.

“We don’t want to get those guys hit and I know he was scrambling a little bit on that one, but you never want to see a guy get banged up like that,” Bitonio said.

The penalty moved the Browns to their own 38 but, two plays later, they fumbled on a reverse pitch between wide receiver Elijah Moore and running Pierre Strong Jr. on the first snap of the fourth quarter.

The Broncos scored 12 unanswered points in the final quarter while the Browns saw their offense sputter in the form of a three-and-out, a strip-sack, a turnover on downs and a safety.

“Some good, some bad, some stuff that we can learn from,” Stefanski said. “(Thompson-Robinson)’s battling. As you know, took a shot there unfortunately and you never want to see your quarterback get hit like that, but he battled.”

The focus now turns to the Rams and who will start at SoFi Stadium next Sunday. The Browns will spend the week practicing in Los Angeles. Flacco, who was signed Monday to the practice squad, is on the trip and was seen on the sidelines in a Browns hoodie during the broadcast. He was not elevated for this game.

The 38-year-old former Super Bowl MVP didn’t divulge much about his role during his first press conference with Cleveland media on Wednesday

“Listen, I’m a veteran guy that’s been around a lot,” he said. “At this point in the season with a team that’s doing well. So, I think there’s a lot of different things that I can bring to the table. But I honestly just want to keep it day to day and focus on what I can. And right now, that’s just kind of learning the offense and becoming a part of the team.”

He did say he believes he can still play.

“I definitely believe I can still play,” Flacco said. “And like I said, I’m focused on the day to day. And as long as I can do that, then whatever happens, I think that whatever my role ends up being and wherever this takes me, then I’ll do my best at that.”

The Browns are in this pickle because their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, underwent season-ending surgery on Tuesday in Los Angeles to repair the fractured glenoid bone in his right throwing shoulder, which is the socket where the ball rests. It ended a season of stops and starts for the team’s franchise quarterback, who appeared in six games and now has played just 12 games since the Browns traded for him in 2022.

Watson played his best game of the season with the broken bone in his shoulder, completing all 14 of his passes in the second half of a dramatic 33-31 win over the Ravens.

Prior to the broken bone, Watson was dealing with a strained rotator cuff , which prompted the Browns to start Thompson-Robinson on two hours notice against the Ravens in Week 4. Thompson-Robinson struggled in the Browns’ loss and Stefanski turned to Walker coming out of the bye week.

Walker started in the Browns’ Week 6 win over San Francisco and Week 8 loss in Seattle and came in to relieve Watson in a Week 7 win over Indianapolis, but his five interceptions in three games were too much for Stefanski, who turned back to Thompson-Robinson after Watson’s season ended.

Thompson-Robinson led the Browns’ on a game-winning field goal drive against Pittsburgh last week and showed encouraging signs this week before the hit took him out of the game.

Now the Browns are back in familiar territory - a place they’ve been most of the season - unsure who will start at quarterback this week with the playoff race tightening around them.