Kevin Stefanski

Kevin Stefanski: Ownership Not Mandating Deshaun Watson Starts

October 16th, 2024 at 9:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Among qualified starting quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson ranks last in QBR. The Browns are riding an 0-for-26 streak on third down with Watson at the controls. The high-priced passer’s struggles have defined this Browns season and most of the past three, though this year has brought a new low for on-field performance.

As a result of Watson’s poor play, Kevin Stefanski has needed to provide weekly status updates on his starter. The recently extended Browns HC has continued to respond in the affirmative regarding Watson’s starting role, though he has since been asked to clarify if higher-ranking members of the organization are insisting the embattled quarterback stay in the lineup.

Stefanski said recently that he and Andrew Berry discuss decisions with ownership, and while the fifth-year GM should be expected to have a key voice in how his head coach constructs his starting lineup, a question was posed to Stefanski regarding ownership’s role in the Watson matter.

“I don’t get caught up in narratives, but we have a good dialogue with myself, Andrew, ownership about all things that have to do with this team,” Stefanski said, via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi. “They’ve been nothing but supportive, and any decision when it comes to football is my decision.”

Seeing his offense work best with Joe Flacco and Baker Mayfield (the 2020 version, at least), Stefanski has been unable to tailor it to Watson’s skills. At this point, however, it is fair to question whether Watson would succeed in any offense. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, Watson drew a bidding war that also included the Falcons, Panthers and Saints being willing to trade what the Browns ultimately gave up. In addition to becoming the first team since the 1976 49ers to trade three first-round picks for a veteran quarterback, the Browns also authorized an outlier guarantee ($230MM) for a player who had signed a Texans extension in September 2020.

That guarantee drove Watson to Ohio, rather than Georgia. The results have been borderline catastrophic, and if Watson cannot turn things around quickly, the Browns face an albatross unlike anything previously seen in NFL history. Furthermore, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot adds Berry and Stefanski were aligned on the decision to pursue Watson. While it may well seem like this scenario was forced upon Stefanski, Mayfield had trudged through an injury-plagued 2021 season that brought another step back for the former No. 1 overall pick.

Stefanski is now a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, receiving that honor for coaching Mayfield to a 2020 bounce-back slate — after the 2019 Freddie Kitchens experiment bombed — and then again after Flacco’s stunning resurgence occurred despite widespread injuries on offense. It would stand to reason Jimmy and Dee Haslam would trust Stefanski with this decision, seeing as both he and Berry received offseason extensions.

This Browns staff also pushed for Jameis Winston over Flacco this offseason, with the reigning Comeback Player of the Year not receiving a Browns offer. Winston has 80 starts on his resume from his time in Tampa and New Orleans. Stefanski continues to keep the door closed on Winston stepping in for the struggling Watson.

Though, this is a unique situation due to Watson’s contract, which Berry has now twice restructured. Jimmy Haslam credited Berry with the idea to fully guarantee Watson’s contract back in 2022. While Berry has built an otherwise strong roster, it is now worth wondering — thanks to Watson’s current form — if he could be in danger of following Jon Robinson and Steve Keim as recent GMs to sign extensions only to be fired later that year. No rumors have come out suggesting Berry or Stefanski is in danger, but the longer this goes, the more ownership will want answers for why the historically costly transaction has not panned out.

Watson also recently settled with the latest woman to accuse him of sexual assault, lessening the chances he would face a second suspension. Roger Goodell said (via The Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi) the league is still reviewing the matter, however. Watson needed to have informed the Browns of this incident in order for his future guarantees to be protected. A second ban is about the only chance the Browns have of escaping the guarantees, which are still in place for 2025 and 2026. Thanks to the second restructure, Watson is set to carry cap numbers of $72.9MM in each of those years.

It would cost the Browns a record-obliterating — which is saying something after the Broncos’ Russell Wilson release — $172MM in dead money to cut Watson in 2025. While Nick Chubb is set to make his season debut in Week 7 and the Browns have been without starting O-linemen often this season, it is difficult to find optimism. The team traded Amari Cooper on Tuesday, worsening Watson’s situation. At 1-5, Cleveland may well consider more seller’s moves before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Kevin Stefanski Addresses Browns Ownership’s Role In Football Decisions

October 10th, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

In a period featuring high-profile quarterback misfires, the Browns are firmly in that club — perhaps having committed the featured misstep. The Deshaun Watson trade/extension is producing so little it has undercut an otherwise well-built roster. While injuries are affecting Cleveland’s offense, Watson has done little throughout his tenure to indicate he will live up to the five-year, $230MM fully guaranteed deal that had swayed him to waive his no-trade clause for the Browns.

Watson has confirmed Browns ownership offers him regular encouragement, and the Jimmy–Dee Haslam combination authorized extensions for both GM Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski this offseason. While the latter is now a two-time Coach of the Year honoree, Berry runs a front office that pulled the trigger on what may go down as the worst trade in NFL history — when the contractual components are factored in.

Jimmy Haslam said two years ago Berry hatched the plan to give Watson the fully guaranteed deal to convince him to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland. Watson had eliminated the Browns from consideration and was heading toward committing to the Falcons. The fully guaranteed deal brought him to Ohio, but the Browns have not reaped much from the trade. They entered the season still waiting for Watson’s Houston-era form to resurface. Five games in, calls for his benching have been loud enough Stefanski has been forced to deny he has considered it.

Stefanski’s offense certainly worked better with Joe Flacco at the controls, while Jacoby Brissett was effective in stretches as well during Watson’s suspension. Baker Mayfield also bounced back from his rough 2019 season under Freddie Kitchens, leading the Browns to their first playoff berth in 18 years in 2020. Watson’s poor play points to Stefanski needing to consider using Jameis Winston, whom the Browns signed instead of offering Flacco a deal to return. But the fifth-year Browns HC confirmed ownership would be a part of any decision to bench Watson (or any notable football decision).

“I talk to Andrew. I talk to ownership about our football team,” Stefanski said, via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi. “… I wouldn’t get into all the specifics. I think you guys know that we make great decisions together. I obviously talk to Andrew about everything we do. We talk to ownership about everything we do. That’s just how we operate.”

Owners widely meddle in football matters, as is their right even when they obviously carry less insight compared to football ops personnel. However, this particular group having significant involvement in football matters is interesting due to its past. Prior to landing on the Berry-Stefanski tandem, the Haslams cycled through six head coaches (counting interim 2018 HC Gregg Williams) and five football ops bosses since buying the team in 2012.

The Browns became the second team to finish 0-16, completing a 4-44 stretch from 2015-17. That span came after Jimmy Haslam pushed for Johnny Manziel in the 2014 first round. The current Browns situation formed when became the first team since 1976 to trade three first-round picks for a veteran quarterback, and the contract they authorized — despite Watson being embroiled in off-field turmoil at the time — threatens to sink the roster Berry has built.

Watson ranks last in QBR among qualified passers this season, and his EPA per dropback is the worst of any Browns QB to start a season this century. Being sacked an NFL-high 26 times, Watson also sports the league’s third-worst rate of off-target throws (20.7%), Oyefusi adds. Watson, who averaged an NFL-high 8.9 yards per attempt in his final season as the Texans’ starter, is averaging a league-worst 4.8 per throw to start this season.

The Browns have a macro crisis on their hands, with their attempt to tailor Stefanski’s offense to their high-priced passer’s talents — via the Ken Dorsey OC hire — not working. Stefanski is not giving up play-calling duties at this time, and the question of whether he has the authority to bench Watson is now worth asking. The Cardinals and Titans also showed how quickly HC and GM extensions can turn into firings. Ownership pushed out the Steve Keim–Kliff Kingsbury tandem less than a year after extending both. Titans GM Jon Robinson was gone months after a 2022 re-up, and Mike Vrabel — despite a Coach of the Year honor — was out less than two years after his payday.

While this potentially puts Berry and Stefanski on notice, it is premature to suggest they are on hot seats. Though, this Watson catastrophe certainly could warrant a major firing.

The team may well be waiting until it can move closer to full strength on offense before fully evaluating this setup. Wyatt Teller is on short-term IR, while Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills have shuttled in and out of the lineup. David Njoku has missed three games, and Nick Chubb is in the PUP-return window. It will be interesting to see if the Browns can show progress once some of these players return, but time is running out.

Thanks to Watson’s two restructures, he is on the Browns’ 2025 and ’26 cap sheets at $72.9MM. No player has ever counted more than $50MM on a team’s payroll, with Dallas’ 11th-hour Dak Prescott extension moving him south of that mark.

Watson having settled his most recent civil suit alleging sexual assault also lessens the chances the Browns could void future guarantees in the event of a second suspension. Absent that, it would cost Cleveland $172.7MM (spread over two years, in a post-June 1 scenario) to cut Watson in 2025. For better or worse, the Browns are stuck here. Stefanski and Co. will continue to try making this foundation-shifting plan work.

Browns Not Benching Deshaun Watson

October 6th, 2024 at 10:18pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

After an embarrassing 34-13 loss to the Commanders dropped the Browns to 1-4, head coach Kevin Stefanski insisted that Deshaun Watson would remain the team’s starting quarterback despite his struggles to start to the season.

“We’re not changing quarterbacks,” Stefanski said, via ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “We need to play better. I need to coach better.”

But many of the Browns’ problems seem to start with Watson, who has posted a league-low 23.9 Total QBR (among current starters) this season while averaging fewer than 175 passing yards per game. The high-priced QB has thrown five touchdown passes and two interceptions, but his 26 sacks are a league-high. Cleveland has yet to score more than 20 points in a single game this season.

The Browns’ turmoil under center for the past two decades may have conditioned them to poor quarterback play, but Watson is reaching a new low in Cleveland. He started last year with a -0.20 EPA per dropback through Week 5, the lowest of any Browns QB to start the season since 2000, according to The Ringer’s Austin Gayle. That number has dropped to -0.30 EPA per dropback in 2024, severely hindering a Browns offense that is still without Nick Chubb as he recovers from last year’s season-ending knee injury.

But Stefanski is adamant that replacing Watson would not be a cure-all for the anemic offense, despite the presence of viable veteran backup Jameis Winston on the roster. Watson’s latest rough outing came as emergency Browns 2023 replacement Joe Flacco, who wanted to re-sign but was not part of Cleveland’s 2024 plans, posted a 359-yard passing day in a shootout loss to the Jaguars. The Browns did not make Flacco an offer and did not have a Watson benching on their radar despite his poor start through three games. While this latest effort will only intensify the calls for Winston to have a chance, Stefanski intimated this problem is beyond merely his QB1.

“This is not a one-person issue on offense,” Stefanski continued. “We have the guys. We have the coaches. We will get it fixed.”

Stefanski repeatedly emphasized the need for better coaching after Sunday’s loss, but his comments leading up to Week 5 indicate that he will remain the team’s play-caller moving forward. The Browns appeared to have multiple miscommunications on offense against the Commanders, and TV cameras caught Stefanski and Watson exchanging words after the quarterback walked off the field on fourth-and-goal. Stefanski confirmed this summer he would remain the play-caller, installing Ken Dorsey as a non-play-calling OC.

Watson is under contract in Cleveland for two more fully guaranteed seasons, with cap hits of $72.9MM in 2025 and 2026. The Browns’ second restructuring of his contract ballooned those numbers past that $72MM point, which would shatter an NFL record. The former first-round pick is facing another allegation of sexual assault after serving an 11-game suspension in 2022 for violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy stemming from several lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault. Barring a suspension that could allow the Browns to void Watson’s future guarantees — provided the QB did not inform them of this incident — they remain stuck with this contract.

Kevin Stefanski To Remain Browns’ Play-Caller In 2024

July 25th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Browns hired a new offensive coordinator and other staffers in an effort to design an offense more suited to Deshaun Watson‘s skillset, the team is not changing its play-caller.

Kevin Stefanski said Thursday he will call plays for the Browns this season. Despite Stefanski carrying the play sheet during his first four seasons in Cleveland, some uncertainty existed whether he would continue to do so after hiring ex-Bills play-caller Ken Dorsey as OC. Dorsey will follow Alex Van Pelt as a non-play-calling Browns OC.

The Browns have succeeded intermittently with Stefanski calling plays, and the recently extended coach most recently displayed his chops by guiding the 2023 team to the playoffs after numerous injuries — including Watson’s season-ending shoulder malady — impacted their offense. Stefanski steered late-season free agency pickup Joe Flacco to Comeback Player of the Year acclaim, doing so without the services of Nick Chubb and the team’s top three tackles for much of the season.

The Bills fired Dorsey midway through his second season as their play-caller, giving way to Joe Brady. Buffalo’s Josh Allen-driven offense had run into some issues during a midseason swoon, one the team rebounded from en route to the AFC’s No. 2 seed. That said, Dorsey guided the Bills to No. 2 rankings in scoring and total offense in 2022. This came despite Allen playing through injury for much of that season.

Stefanski collecting the Coach of the Year award in 2020, after Baker Mayfield bounced back from a woeful 2019, came after he called plays in Minnesota in 2019. Cleveland’s current HC carries more experience than Dorsey, by a significant margin, calling plays. As the Browns make some changes on offense, the unit’s maestro will not change.

Cleveland took a significant step back in 2021, as Mayfield played hurt ahead of an awkward transition to Watson, and their high-priced quarterback has not come especially close to justifying the historic trade cost. Stefanski, however, coaxed a solid Jacoby Brissett stretch in 2022. The fifth-year Browns HC must continue to make it work with Watson, whose $230MM guaranteed contract runs through 2026. While Dorsey carries experience and would be the next man up, Watson will be continue communicating with Stefanski in the huddle.

Browns Extend HC Kevin Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry

June 5th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored to be on tap for this offseason, the Browns’ extension agreements with Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry are now official. The team announced its fifth-year HC-GM combo is signed long term.

This represents rare territory for the Browns, who shuffled through numerous coaches and GMs during the Haslams’ first several years as owners. After two playoff berths in four seasons, Stefanski and Berry did enough to show ownership they should be at the wheel for the foreseeable future.

Rumblings of the Browns readying extensions for their power brokers emerged in March, and a recent offering from cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot pointed to the deals being close. The Browns have posted their best four-year win percentage under Berry and Stefanski since the 1986-89 run. Although this regime has not matched the Marty Schottenheimer-Bernie Kosar teams in terms of consistency or postseason accomplishments, it has elevated one of the NFL’s perennial doormats to a contender position.

“Despite facing multiple player injuries and using five different starting quarterbacks, Andrew and his staff built a roster that adapted well, while Kevin and his staff led the team to its second playoff appearance in four years, earning Coach of the Year honors for the second time in that period,” Jimmy and Dee Haslam said, referencing the 2023 season, in a statement. “They are two of the brightest people we know, and selfless people who only care about what is best for the Cleveland Browns.”

Since the Haslams acquired the Browns in October 2012, they have employed six full-time head coaches (Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, Hue Jackson, Freddie Kitchens, Stefanski) and six front office bosses (Tom Heckert, Michael Lombardi, Ray Farmer, Sashi Brown, John Dorsey, Berry). Prior to the Stefanski-Berry 2020 debut season, the team had gone 1-for-21 in playoff berths since rebooting in 1999. While the Browns have seen some stumbles (particularly at quarterback) during this duo’s tenure, their 2023 showing presented cause for optimism. With two 11-win seasons since 2020, the Browns are now 37-30 since Stefanski and Berry took over.

Stefanski, 42, joins Bill Belichick, Bruce Arians and Ron Rivera as HCs to win two Coach of the Year honors since 2000. The second one certainly solidified the play-caller’s case for an extension. The Browns gave Stefanski a five-year contract in 2020. Teams almost never make HCs lame ducks, the Dallas situation notwithstanding, and Stefanski is the longest-tenured Browns HC since Belichick (1991-95). None of the current Browns franchise’s coaches match Stefanski’s longevity or success, and the ex-Vikings OC managing to steer last year’s team to the playoffs marked quite the accomplishment given the circumstances.

The Browns withstood season-ending injuries to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and their top three tackles yet managed to win 11 games. Stefanski coaxed a stunning resurgence from late-season free agent signee Joe Flacco, who claimed Comeback Player of the Year honors despite only starting five games. Winning a playoff game proved too daunting a task for this ragtag cast, but Stefanski’s 2020 Coach of the Year offering produced a playoff upset (over the Steelers). That win came with Stefanski at home with COVID-19, though the Browns nearly toppled the No. 1-seeded Chiefs a week later.

Due to the 2022 Watson trade, Berry’s path has been a bit rockier. The Browns became the first team since the 1976 49ers to give up three first-round picks for a veteran quarterback, and Jimmy Haslam pinned the idea for guaranteeing Watson’s entire five-year, $230MM contract on his GM.

Watson has struggled, with his 2023 health issues coming as replaced starter Baker Mayfield — who succeeded under Stefanski in 2020 before struggling amid injuries in 2021 — found his footing again in Tampa. As the Browns have no choice but to make it work with Watson, the roster Berry has assembled has proven successful despite its QB.

Draft choices under Berry’s predecessors still represent some of the top Browns pieces. Berry, however, reached extensions with Chubb, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Wyatt Teller. The GM also extended Joel Bitonio while acquiring Amari Cooper for only Day 3 draft choices. Berry acquisitions, along with the team’s Jim Schwartz hire, put pieces in place for a No. 1-ranked pass defense to help the battered offense last season. While Berry’s draft acumen remains to be fully seen due to the team not having a first-round pick for the past three years, the 36-year-old exec has made some pivotal contributions during his second Cleveland stint.

Berry, who rejoined the Browns two weeks after Stefanski’s hire in January 2020, initially served as a staffer under John Dorsey and de facto GM Sashi Brown during the 2010s. The Browns are still waiting for their Watson bet to pay off, but the team will give its decision-makers more time to operate around that monster contract.

Browns Nearing Extensions With Kevin Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry

March 25th, 2024 at 10:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Notorious for making GM and HC changes during their time as Browns owners, Jimmy and Dee Haslam are close to finalizing agreements to keep their current decision-makers in place.

Rumors surfaced about about extensions for Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski in February; the Haslams said Monday (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) the deals are close to being completed. This would be a rare development for a Browns franchise that has not seen many coaches or GMs worthy of extensions since rebooting in 1999.

Since Jimmy Haslam acquired the Browns in October 2012, he has employed six full-time head coaches (Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, Hue Jackson, Freddie Kitchens, Stefanski) and six front office bosses (Tom Heckert, Michael Lombardi, Ray Farmer, Sashi Brown, John Dorsey, Berry). Before the Stefanski-Berry tandem, none of the Haslam-era HCs or GMs made it through a third season. Extensions were not exactly on the radar, but the Stefanski-Berry partnership has bucked the trend.

The Browns are 2-for-4 in playoff berths since hiring Berry and Stefanski in 2020; they were previously 1-for-21 since the NFL gave Cleveland an expansion franchise in 1999. While the Browns have not seen their Deshaun Watson move pay off yet, ownership still appears comfortable with handing out its extensions for a head coach or general manager.

Coming in as yet another HC-GM pairing (Dorsey-Kitchens) did not pan out, Berry and Stefanski saw their first offseason precede the Browns’ first playoff berth since 2002. Stefanski earned Coach of the Year honors that year and has since collected a second such honor, doing so as the Browns lost Watson, Nick Chubb and both starting tackles yet advanced to the postseason anyway. Stefanski coaxing stunning play from Joe Flacco, who lingered in free agency until November, secured the ex-Vikings OC the second award. It looks like the latter offering, which came three years after Stefanski helped Baker Mayfield rebound from a woeful 2019 season, will lead to a second Cleveland contract.

Berry’s extension case is a bit more complicated. He has been the GM in place for the team’s recent upswing, having helped build up a high-end offensive line. Berry was in place for the Jack Conklin signing and hammered out the extensions for Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio. Berry also extended Dorsey draftees Chubb and Denzel Ward. Of course, the Watson move has been Berry’s defining act as GM. Jimmy Haslam also placed the idea on fully guaranteeing Watson’s $230MM contract at Berry’s feet.

Berry is one of the NFL’s youngest GMs, at 36. He also was in place as a Brown lieutenant as the team attempted one of the more radical rebuilds in NFL history. Berry was with the Browns during their infamous 1-31 stretch from 2016-17, holding the VP of player personnel title during that period. He left to join the Eagles, returning in 2020 to become a GM at just 33. While his second Cleveland run has brought QB hiccups, the Browns assembled a quality roster — one DC Jim Schwartz helped maximize last season — as they have attempted to fix the signal-caller concerns.

Given the early returns on that controversial trade, hatching the idea of fully guaranteeing Watson’s deal could shift to blame soon. But the Browns retooled their coaching staff to better accommodate Watson this offseason; the Berry-Stefanski pairing will have a chance to continue this path beyond their initial Browns deals. Despite struggles in 2021 and ’22 due largely to Mayfield’s shoulder injury and then Watson’s 11-game suspension, the Browns are moving forward with contracts that will presumably run into the late 2020s.

Browns Expected To Extend HC Kevin Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry

February 12th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns dealt with a slew of injuries on offense in particular during the 2023 campaign, but they still managed to qualify for the postseason. In the wake of that performance, continuity on the sidelines and in the front office is expected.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are each in line for extensions this offseason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. The pair arrived in Cleveland in 2020 and are under contract through 2024. Their collective showings would make it little surprise if ownership signed off on a new set of deals in the near future.

Cleveland ended a lengthy playoff drought and advanced to the divisional round in Stefanski’s first campaign at the helm. He earned Coach of the Year honors that season, but the team’s record dropped to 8-9 and then 7-10 in subsequent years. Amidst whispers in some circles about he and/or Berry being on the hot seat, things did not go as planned with running back Nick Chubb suffering a season-ending injury in 2023. The same was later true of quarterback Deshaun Watson, leading the Browns to rely on Joe Flacco under center down the stretch.

The latter won Comeback Player of the Year for his showings after arriving as a free agent midseason, which has helped his value considerably. The Browns are interested in retaining the former Super Bowl MVP despite having Watson atop the depth chart. Stability at the QB spot in 2024 would be a welcomed development as the team looks to build off a record of 11-6.

Stefanski earned his second Coach of the Year award as a result of the Browns’ ability to reach the playoffs despite their injury woes. Watson’s ailment marked another underwhelming development in his Cleveland tenure, which of course has been the defining aspect of Berry’s time with the franchise. The Browns sent Houston a package including three first-round picks to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler, something which was contingent on a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230MM contract. Watson’s suspension to open the 2022 season, his elbow injury this year and less-than-spectacular play in between led some to believe a change could be made in the organization.

However, a December report pointed to the Stefanski-Berry partnership likely being safe moving forward. This latest update confirms that sentiment, and Cleveland will be set up for stability if extensions are indeed worked out in the coming months. Both will have notable leverage in negotiations given the team’s performance this season as they aim to take a step forward in 2024 and beyond.

Browns HC Kevin Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry Not In Danger Of Being Fired

December 2nd, 2023 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 season has not gone according to plan for the Browns from an injury perspective, but the team is in a playoff spot entering Week 13. As a result, the job security for head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry is not a talking point.

Both entered the season with considerable expectations given the strength of Cleveland’s roster, and the annual regression in the win-loss department which had taken place during their three-year tenures. However, season-ending injuries to the likes of running back Nick Chubb and, more recently, quarterback Deshaun Watson have not prevented a 7-4 start and the strong chance of a postseason berth. The team’s success so far has chased away the possibility of a change on the sideline or in the front office.

Both Stefanski and Berry are “here to stay,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). The former earned Coach of the Year honors in 2020 after leading the team to a record of 11-5 and making it to the divisional round of the playoffs. A step back to 8-9 followed, though, along with a 7-10 mark in 2022, the first year with Watson at the helm (though his suspension delayed his Browns debut until Week 12 during that campaign). That regression led some to believe the heat could quickly increase on the Stefanski-Berry regime barring improvements.

No coaching change took place this past offseason, to no surprise, and Stefanski’s coaching performance in 2023 has likewise unsurprisingly earned him a longer leash. The Browns are tied to the decision to acquire Watson – a move which included a trade package of three first-round picks followed by a fully guaranteed $230MM contract – and the repercussions which will come from it. The former Texans Pro Bowler has not lived up to expectations so far in Cleveland, but the team’s ability to win without him in the lineup or playing to his previous level when on the field has drawn rave reviews.

That will continue to be tested as Joe Flacco is set to start in Week 13 with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson sidelined. Adding the veteran late in the season could prove to be a shrewd move if it allows the Browns to continue winning with a severely shorthanded offense and push for a postseason berth in the crowded AFC. Even if that does not prove to be the case, though, both Stefanski and Berry appear to have earned themselves extra leeway heading into the offseason.

Latest On Browns, LT Jedrick Wills

July 13th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Jedrick Wills has been a mainstay on the Browns’ offensive line since his arrival in the NFL in 2020, operating as a full-time left tackle starter for three years. His performance to date has not lived up to expectations, though, leading to questions about his long-term future with the team.

Cleveland has committed to the former No. 10 pick for the next two seasons, having picked up his fifth-year option for 2024. That decision will earn Wills $14.18MM one year from now, and provide him plenty of further opportunities to play his way into a multi-year extension. Doing so will require a step up in play in the future compared to his first three campaigns, which have yielded middling PFF grades and less-than-stellar evaluations from several observers.

The Browns remain optimistic regarding Wills’ ability to develop into a franchise tackle, however, as noted by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Alabama product played a full season for the first time in 2022, logging over 1,000 snaps. He was charged with six sacks and 41 pressures allowed by PFF, and committed eight penalties. Those figures have not resulted in a lack of confidence on the team’s part.

“In the moment, in the season, you felt it because he was healthy and was playing well,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said of Wills earlier this offseason. “But as you go back and watch a lot of the tape over and over, he’s doing a nice job in the run game and the pass game. He’s winning his one-on-one matchups. Never perfect because it’s hard to be perfect as a left tackle in this game. But he played well. I really think, if he stays healthy, the trajectory continues to ascend.”

Cabot notes that a Wills extension will likely come no earlier than the 2024 campaign, giving the team at least a full season to evaluate him with Deshaun Watson at the helm. She adds that some speculation has tied Wills to a position change to guard or the right tackle role he had in college while protecting the blindside of southpaw quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Continued usage at left tackle can be expected moving forward, though.

The Browns added a developmental tackle in this year’s draft by selecting Dawand Jones in the fourth round. His likeliest route to playing time is on the right side as an eventual successor to veteran Jack Conklin, however, so plenty of attention and expectations will be directed to Wills this season and next. The degree to which he matches the team’s confidence in him will go a long way in determining their willingness to invest in him beyond 2024.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 4th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023

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