Jameis Winston gives Browns front office the last straw to never see Deshaun Watson again

By trading for and giving Deshaun Watson $230 million of guaranteed money, the Cleveland Browns were committing to the 29-year-old as their franchise quarterback. That move has turned out to be one of the worst in NFL history.

In addition to all of his troubles off the field, Watson has been a disaster on it. He has played poorly under center, has dealt with several injuries, and the Browns have been better without him than with him. I mean, look at what Joe Flacco did last season with this team just last season.

Watson's season-ending Achilles tear gave the Browns an opportunity to get a look at what their offense would look like for a long stretch without him. His replacement, Jameis Winston, needed no time whatsoever to prove that Watson has always been the problem and that it's time to move on.

Jameis Winston proved that Deshaun Watson is the problem in Cleveland

The Browns entered their Week 8 game with one of the most anemic offenses in the NFL. Their 15.6 points per game ranked 29th in the NFL. Their 159.6 passing yards per game ranked 30th in the NFL. How a $230 million quarterback led that bad of an offense is beyond me.

One game with Winston under center completely changed the dynamic of this team. Not only did they score over 20 points for the first time this season, they scored 29 — 11 more than their previous season-high that was set back in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They did this against a Baltimore Ravens team that had won five in a row entering the day and looking borderline unbeatable.

Winston had a fantastic day, completing 27 of his 41 passing attempts for 334 yards and three touchdowns in one of the biggest upset wins of the season thus far. Watson had just five passing touchdowns all season long and had yet to throw for over 200 yards in a game. In his Browns career, Watson has yet to throw for 300 yards in a single game and has just one game with three passing touchdowns - that came two seasons ago. Winston, in one game, threw for three touchdowns and not only over 200 yards, but over 300 yards. That's telling.

The Ravens passing defense that Winston went up against has been suspect all season long, but does anyone really think Watson would've come close to replicating Winston's production based on what we've seen this season and in Watson's Browns' career? Winston was even able to do this without Amari Cooper, who recently was shipped off to the Buffalo Bills.

Winston is far from perfect as an NFL quarterback, but in just one game, he made it abundantly clear that Watson is, and always was, the problem in Cleveland. Seeing this kind of output from a journeyman like Winston should make it abundantly clear to the Browns franchise that it's time to move on. The fan base does not like Watson, the team is better without Watson, and they'd owe him the money whether he's on the team or not.

The only justification Cleveland would have for not moving on from Watson would've been if Winston (or whoever replaced him) struggled. That clearly did not happen. It's time to do what everyone knows should be done.