Newsletter: Berea Updates, and Evidence of how Challenging it is Playing Quarterback in the NFL

Updates out of Berea in Steelers Week Round 2, and then a reminder of just how challenging the QB position can at times.

(Photo - Getty)

Welcome back for another Newsletter, my friends. Hope your week is going well as somehow it is already Wednesday — the MNF hangover effect. The Browns got back into the building for their early week work in preparation for the Steelers on Sunday where it will be a marquee CBS game featuring their big-time duo of Jim Nantz and Tony Romo. As we know, the Steelers want their payback.

Let’s update on the latest out of Berea:

• The Browns re-signed Bailey Zappe as was expected afte he cleared waivers.

• Waived Jaelon Darden to make room for the move.

• JOK is eligible to return from IR but Kevin Stefanski noted he will not play this week.

• T Jedrick Wills Jr. is “trying very hard” to return and the team will know later in the week if he’ll be available to face the Steelers per Kevin Stefanski.

• Grant Delpit cleared concussion protocol after being flagged by the NFL’s on-site evaluator.

Jerry Jeudy spoke to the media again and noted the Denver game wasn’t personal. I appreciate the way he is trying to downplay it, but it was. “I just wasn't working over there," Jeudy told ESPN. "I felt like I was a way better player than they used me as. I wanted to go somewhere that would use me, see my full potential and take advantage of it."

It was nice to hear Stefanski come to bat for Jameis Winston given the immense burden he had carrying the offense on Sunday. “We threw the ball a lot, so there were a lot of opportunities and obviously extremely productive in the pass game with a ton of yards,” Stefanski said Tuesday. “Certainly he wants to take care of the football in those moments. You’re not going to play perfect at the quarterback position, he knows that, I know that.

“Ultimately he wants to do anything in his power to help this team win, and that’s going to be taking care of the ball. But he also had moments there where he was moving that offense and did a nice job.”

There’s so much perspective to what Winston has had to deal with in his Cleveland starts so far this year and we will get into those weeds laters this week.

We will keep you posted on all things out of Berea in the coming days.

Winston first interception of the night Monday is well worth revisiting and serves as such a difficult reminder (for us, at least) about how hard the position can be at times. Look, some dropbacks are crystal clear in the coverage and the unfolding of routes, and where to go with the ball. Those happen in the NFL plenty. But there are even more with defenders deceiving, and the more importantly, the quarterback’s vision just not being where it has to be to succeed.