When the Cleveland Browns announced that QB Deshaun Watson would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, the expectation was that P.J. Walker would be named the starter for Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Walker had started two games and played significant snaps in three while Watson battled injuries, but instead, the team threw a curveball and named rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson the starter.
Thompson-Robinson had started just one game this season, in Week Four against the Baltimore Ravens. But offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Thursday that Thompson-Robinson’s preseason performances and the fact that he was thrust into the starting job just hours before kickoff against the Ravens made him worthy of getting another start.