For the 2023 season, Deshaun Watson is the Browns’ starting QB. The backup QB job is far from secured yet and they have a battle going on throughout the preseason. Kellen Mond and rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) are the two players fighting to be Watson’s backup for the coming season. 

So far, Thompson-Robinson has done a lot to impress his coaches while Mond hasn’t played well. With DTR on the rise of the Browns, head coach Kevin Stafanski has made an important decision for their next preseason game. Tomorrow night, the Browns and Eagles will meet in the preseason. Thompson-Robinson will get his first start at QB, ahead of Kellen Mond.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start Cleveland’s third preseason game vs the reigning NFC champs

Update: The #Browns are starting rookie 5th round pick, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, over the more veteran Kellen Mond, for their 3rd pre-season game, per @MaryKayCabot

So far this pre-season DTR has been great:

134.92 QB Rating

17-21 passing

184 Yards

2 TDs

0 INTs

8.76 Yards… pic.twitter.com/VF0yD9sE6n

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 15, 2023

In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Browns took QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson out of UCLA in the 5th round. He played five seasons for the Bruins where he passed over for 10,000 yards and had 88 passing touchdowns in his career. Throughout camp and the preseason, DTR has done a lot to impress his coaches.

In the Hall of Fame game vs the Jets, he went 8-11 passing with 82 yards and a touchdown. He helped lead Cleveland to a comeback win vs New York in that game. Thompson-Robinson is a dual-threat QB who has been outplaying Kellen Mond. Last season, Mond was on the Browns but did not play a single snap.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start Thursday night against the Eagles. pic.twitter.com/x2O1FsBzgy

— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) August 15, 2023

Mond will make an appearance in tomorrow night’s preseason game vs the Eagles. However, it will be after DTR plays with the starters. If the Browns had to release their unofficial depth chart today, Thompson-Robinson would likely be favored to be the backup QB. He’s had an impressive preseason and is quickly climbing up the QB depth chart. There’s still time for Kellen Mond to win the backup job, but his chances are not great at the moment.