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By Ellis L. Williams, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After two seasons and a 13-18-1 record, John Dorsey is out as Browns general manager. Cleveland underachieved in 2019. From the regression of quarterback Baker Mayfield to several in-season suspensions, a 6-10 record and everything in between, owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam decided Dorsey’s time was up.


Whoever takes his place will have a lot of work to do, but also plenty to build upon.

The next GM must figure out what caused Mayfield to fall from a record-setting rookie season to a sophomore campaign littered with poor footwork, inaccurate throws, turnovers and bad reads. Key parts of the offensive line are a mess. Fixing it will require significant draft capital. Cleveland has plenty of offseason decisions to make regarding several in-house players.

With more than $50 million in cap space for 2020 -- well above league average -- the next GM should have enough flexibility to construct a roster which Dorsey didn’t last long enough to complete. The next GM must also address positions of ignored need -- specifically tight end, linebacker and offensive line -- while also correcting Dorsey’s whiffs at safety and No. 3 receiver.

The Browns’ foundation remains with Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Joel Bitonio and JC Tretter. Defensively, Myles Garrett will be reinstated at some point and cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams are two young talents with potential.


Let’s take a look at five things the next GM in Cleveland must get right in 2020.

1. Get Mayfield right (or nothing else matters)

Whether you fancy analytics, the eye test or fantasy football, every metric shows Mayfield regressed. That is why the next GM must first identify why Mayfield played so poorly in his 22 touchdown/21 interception 2019. The answer isn’t as simple as simply blaming Freddie Kitchens, the offensive line or Beckham.

Mayfield’s footwork and overall mechanics were sloppy, proven by video tape (and too many throws sailing high). Two recent throws stand out. First, against Cincinnati in Week 14. Despite a clean pocket and an open receiver, Mayfield threw an out-of-control rocket toward KhaDarel Hodge.


When in doubt, Mayfield leaned on his fastball too often in 2019. Even receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. suggested he tone down his velocity. But against the Cardinals in Week 15, Mayfield again let another ball sail on early red-zone throw to Beckham.


Mayfield rips it high and outside on what should’ve been a touchdown.

Seeing Mayfield in this form strikes concern. But he is far from irredeemable. The next GM must surround Mayfield with a head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach who share a singular vision centered on play-action passes and driving the ball downfield. Those are Mayfield’s strengths.

Solution: Fix his fundamentals and place him in advantageous situations (12 personnel -- one running back and two tight ends -- to be precise). If the new regime cannot do that then nothing else matters.

2. Allocate a lot of draft capital to the offensive line

The Browns hold eight picks in the 2020 draft, including the No. 10 selection. After that, the next GM will select in the second round, twice in the third, once in the fourth, twice in the sixth and once in the seventh.

Luckily for Cleveland, the 2020 draft is filled with promising offensive line talent. Four or five linemen rank within the top 30 prospects on most draft boards. Pro Football Focus projects three tackles will be selected within the first eight picks, which sounds like classic Browns luck. But mock drafts are never 100 percent accurate, and chances are one falls.


Jedrick Willis of Alabama, Andrew Thomas of Georgia and Tristan Wirfs of Iowa are considered the top three tackles. Cleveland should be aggressive in landing one. If that means trading up, so be it.

In later rounds, drafting one or two more linemen is also a must. The Browns don’t just need help at tackle. Right guard was an issue all season. Like much of the offense, Cleveland remained relatively healthy in 2019. Assuming such good fortune again is going against the odds. Drafting for depth on the offensive line should be prioritized.

3. Do not lose Kareem Hunt

When Hunt returned from league suspension in Week 10 against Buffalo, the offense benefited immensely from the presence of 2017′s leading rusher.

Hunt averaged 57 scrimmage yards per game on an average of 10 touches. But his influence was far more than stats. Whether he was lead blocking, rushing, receiving or lining up in the slot, Hunt arguably was the most important offensive player in 2019.

Perhaps the greatest thing Kitchens accomplished in Cleveland was showing the NFL that two-running back systems can still flourish. Here is one play from his regular-season debut where Hunt showcases his brand of football.



His aggressiveness and strength pop off the screen. On the snap, Hunt launches left, finding the hole made between tackle Greg Robinson (78) and tackle Joel Bitonio (75), identifies Bills safety Micah Hyde (23) and moves him out of the play.

Good luck finding another running back with Hunt’s skill set willing to lay his body on the line like that. Letting Hunt walk would be a mistake. We all know what he can do with the ball in his hands, and what he does without it is irreplaceable.

4. Be aggressive in free agency

With money to spend in 2020, the next GM should be aggressive in free agency. While forecasting free agency moves is like predicting the weather, there are two names that stand out as ideal fits for Cleveland.

First, Atlanta tight end Austin Hooper. It’s no secret Mayfield looks for his tight end often. Whether teams were leaving Browns tight ends open on purpose or Mayfield just enjoys the quarterback’s so-called “security blanket,” the combination of David Njoku, Ricky Seals-Jones, Demetrius Harris and rookie Stephen Carlson consumed a healthy portion of target


No tight end has more TDs this season than Austin Hooper.

52 catches, 591 yards, 5 TDs for HOOOOOOOOP.


Rather than trying to get lucky in the draft, landing a known commodity in Hooper would instantly take the offense to the next level and make finding a No. 3 receiver less of a priority.

Hooper finished 2019 fifth in receptions among tight ends (75), sixth in yards (787) and tied for fourth in touchdowns with six. Pro Football Focus rated him 10th-best with a 78.2 grade. As an unrestricted free agent coming off a career season at 25, Hooper can sign where he pleases, though Atlanta sounds eager to retain him.

Defensively, the Browns could use a veteran linebacker, and Bears inside backer Danny Trevathan would fit regardless of scheme. He also could come at a discount considering he broke his elbow gruesomely in early November and landed on the IR. He’ll turn 30 in March, which hurts his negotiating leverage.

In his eighth NFL season -- four with the Broncos, four with the Bears -- he had 70 tackles, two for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble in nine games. In 2018, he recorded 102 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions over 16 games as a cornerstone of Chicago’s league-best defense.

With Joe Schobert likely gone and the future of Christian Kirksey in limbo, Trevathan makes sense.


5. Build the middle of the roster with smart, affordable talent

Ultimately, Dorsey ignored the middle of his roster. He built the top with big names like Olivier Vernon, Beckham and Hunt, but ignored developing a No. 3 receiver, grooming a future tight end or long-term run-stopping linebacker. He whiffed on safeties Damarious Randall and Jermaine Whitehead.

Schobert had a career year, but it seems unlikely a new GM would come in and pay him top dollar. Kitchens and Dorsey cut 2018 fourth-round pick Antonio Callaway and basically pushed fellow receiver Rashard Higgins out of town.

At tight end, Dorsey/Kitchens did essentially the same thing to 2017 first-rounder David Njoku. Though Njoku broke his wrist in Week 2, the backups Dorsey bought in (Harris and Seals-Jones) didn’t make enough meaningful plays. At safety, Whitehead was cut in November and Randall butted heads with Kitchens several times.

How can the next GM find smart and affordable talent? Well first, look no further than the current roster. Higgins and Njoku could be poised for a rebound if the new regime mends both relationships. Cutting ties with Njoku would make sense, but Higgins could be the perfect complement to Beckham’s and Landry’s skill sets.


Defensively, hybrid cornerback Eric Murray is seeking a new contract. He is an unrestricted free agent who when healthy played any role the Browns asked. He is comfortable at outside corner, nickel, safety and even outside linebacker at times.

Murray was drafted by Dorsey in Kansas City and the Browns acquired him last spring. Most GMs want to flood their roster with talent they’ve selected, but bringing back Murray and Higgins makes sense when identifying beneficial middle-class roster moves.

What we learned

January in Cleveland usually means Browns ownership embarks on a rebuilding mission. The next head coach-GM combination will be the 12th and 11th, respectively, since 1999, and the Haslams’ fifth new regime in seven seasons.

However, surveying recent rebuilding success stories should provide hope. Take the Colts for example. Owner Jim Irsay is far from a respected football mind, but his hirings of general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich transformed the front office from dumpster fire to one of the league’s most stable situations.


The stakes are high. If the next GM/head coach botch this, Mayfield is likely doomed and the Browns will spend the first half of the 2020s searching for another quarterback and even more head coaches.

Steps to fix...

1. Test water. Proceed as appropriate
2. Perform excorsism
3. Remove AFCN sleeper agents
4. Set up separate building made to look like Browns HQ with rotating cast of actors where Haslam can fire/hire at will.
5. Test water again. Proceed as appropriate

I would see if Washington was willing to part ways with Trent Williams. Our 2nd rounder? 3rd? In which case we likely cut Hubbard and let Robinson walk.

I would ditch the Njoku experiment, if you can't catch or block, I don't care how athletic you are. Don't cut him, but he is not a starting quality TE. We need a better option here for a QB who likes to utilize the middle of the field.

I'd see what Schobert wants and try to keep him. I'd try to keep Randall as well.


Then either add a 1st round tackle or Safety. Whoever grades out better on film/combine.



Beyond that the most important part in all of it.....whatever that offensive scheme was this year, throw it in the trash and light it on fire. Bring in someone competent that can get the guys lined up correctly each week, because if they can't even line up correctly, they are DEFINITELY not running the routes with nuance and anticipation. All of this affects Baker, which I think will fix itself.

I like McDaniels for fixing Baker the most. There seems to be some relationship there now and Baker MUST be engaged in the whole process.

We need to create some Frankenstein coach out of all these candidates...

Stop thinking in terms of short-term roster plugs and start thinking about how to do things better from a macro view. Some ideas off the top of my head:

1. Hire the right coach and GM. Start building a disciplined and winning culture. Purge the roster of distractions and malcontents. Pay players big money if they are truly worth it. Otherwise get what you can in a trade, or let them walk in free agency and collect your compensatory pick.

2. Baker should have been sufficiently humbled by this year and needs to make football a priority. The coaching staff should encourage this and help him along the way.

3. Focus on player development. I mentioned this in another thread, but every year, the Steelers (and Ravens) players look like bigger and better conditioned athletes than Browns players, on average. Work with players on diet, sleep, strength & conditioning, mental health, whatever needs to be done to get them in the best shape mentally and physically so they can perform their best in practice and in games.

4. Embrace technology and analytics. Your gut feeling can always override analytics (as long as you realize your gut will probably be wrong when in opposition to comprehensive, well-done, relevant analytics) but at least have the data. Use virtual reality training for QBs, who need to know the offense cold, so on the field they can react instead of think. A split second can be the game-- the difference between a touchdown pass and a strip sack.

5. Give the new staff time to make things work. At a certain point you have to hire the right people and then let the thing come together. You can't expect a well-oiled machine in the first part of the first season. It has happened but it's certainly not the norm. Have a little patience.

we've tried everything but building a dome. maybe that will help.

probably not, but would be great regardless.

At least we'd be warm in our misery!

Bulldozers and Cement trucks would be a good start...


Getting this HC and GM hire right will start fixing the Browns.

One thing that might be interesting is a focus on FAs coming from teams with strong cultures. Unless it's a case of significant talent at an area of need, our incoming players should be expected to infuse some of their previous workplace into ours.

Maybe, it depends on the specifics though.

I really think you have to build the core of your team through the draft. Starters are just too expensive in free agency. Those that make it are either marginal (overpaid) or were distractions on their previous teams, which is probably why that team was hesitant to pay them in the first place. If a player was a distraction on their first team, he'll probably be a distraction on his second team.

There are some exceptions but the Stephon Gilmores of the world (great player *and* locker room guy) are few and far between in free agency.

There's quality depth that can be had in free agency and it can be a good way to round on the roster. General rule, avoid the ridiculous spending sprees on the first days of free agency. Value can be found after that.

- Hire a COACH
- Correct Baker’s mistakes, help him learn progressions, and sure-up his mechanics
- Fix the OT positions


Suddenly, we’d be MUCH better for long-term success

On that note you start to get an obvious, clear cut favorite for your coach. Some don't like it but he'd be head and shoulders above the rest.

- Fix the OT positions

Completely agree. I try not to get caught up too much in the roster stuff but I completely agree with this. There are too many good edge rushers in this league to have below average players at tackle.

Hooper is a no brainer if he hits the open market. ATL has a cap problem and will have to make some tough choices.

Exactly. The position killed us for 16 games

Eh. Maybe I'm just a little more adventurous when it comes to FA. You're right that the high-priced guys usually end up not being worth it, and you're right that they're usually available for a reason... but there are always exceptions. I think it's possible to be strategic and smart in FA and still end up spending a bit of money.

Those are good points. I don't mean for it to be an all or nothing proposition, especially in the case of a team like the Browns where we still have a lot of cap space. (though a lot of that will be used to pay players who are currently on rookie deals..)

It really depends on the specifics. I think it's fair to say though, that teams that are consistently successful in this league are not spending big money in free agency year to year. It's just not sustainable. They may pluck good players here and there for reasonable contracts, when they are available. That's a smart approach.

Overall I liked the article very much. I mean people can nitpick at it but it summed up a lot of the current issues that would go a very long way in solutions to open questions we currently have.

The only addition I would make is to be sure and hire a hard nosed HC. People may speak about the egos on our roster, but that's something that exists around the league. It's not synonymous to the Browns. The new HC must be a true leader of men that can command the respect of our players.

And I would throw in Opposing TE's !

True. You gotta draft well enough and develop/get lucky enough with your own picks to fill out the majority of your roster, and the vast majority of your impact players.

good point

This is a fan's simple blueprint. No success passing or running without OL solutions. Chubb and Hunt make it worthwhile. The Dunce forgot to run the ball when he had the horses, but not the line. Make Chubb king of the NFL, or Hunt.

Bring back Buddy Boy.

It might sound simple, but then again this is football not rocket science.

Just think what could be with a decent OL, coupled with a plan on offense.

This should be priority #1 for those in player personnel ... while the GM seat and Coaching is being processed.

The tricky part is... we HAD a decent Oline last season. And yes, we traded away Zeitler... but our main issues this year were the tackle positions and those didn't change.

I am also of the opinion that we need new (preferably young) talent on the line, but it wouldn't be wasted effort to try to figure out why they looked like they did at the end of last year, and then like they did throughout this year.

Honestly, Urban Meyer would be the #1 best choice for us by far of everyone available and it wouldn't even be close. However, he won't come here so you don't have to worry.

the last time the Browns were any good we had a coach named Butch Davis that came out of the college ranks from the U of Miami. He spent a few years in Dallas under Jimmy Johnson as a DL coach, not really what I would call big time NFL experience.

Urban Meyer would turn this thing around right away. He comes in day one, its his way or else. He turns everything upside down, sets his structure top to bottom. His practices all very finly focused, guys are beat into their heads to do all the small little things right because its the small little things, the details that seperates championship teams from the Browns/Losers.

It would be a miracle for the Browns to get Urban Meyer. He would be the best coach we have had here since Paul Brown. However, we won't be that lucky. It seems we are doomed to misery. I have zero doubts Meyer would turn this whole thing around in a hurry. He is just that good, guys listen to him, they buy in, guys respect him, and puts guys in position to succeed, he knows how to maximize what he gets out of his roster.

God i'd love to have Meyer, but there is no way in **** he comes here with our ownership the way it is. He probably ends up in Dallas.

so urban, mccarthy, mcdaniels, saleh, stefanski.

pretty good list. we've seen a lot worse prospects come through here.

Urban is not coming here (thankfully).

im holding out some hope with the "right now". honestly i like all the guys so far, even Saleh would be ok. again, way better than what we've had, at least on paper.

A 14 year old whose only football experience is playing Madden would be better than what we had.

C'mon Eve, who's going on beer runs while the players are practicing their TD celebrations? 21 minimum unless Depo can hook him up with a fake ID.

Decent? Or got by with?!
RG aside, our OTs' have been band aids for two seasons now, but also we are without anyone to groom for that postion as well within the organization.

Even if we still had Zeitler @RG our OTs' would still be two big breaches in our OL.

Baker will not admit it, but he showed no confidence in his protection this season.

In part due to lack of talent on the OL, and in part due to a lack of a plan of attack on offense, which intern proved to be predictable, even to the most novist fan, let alone professionals who job it is to exploiting their opponents weaknesses and tendencies.

So the play calling did not help our weaknesses @OT to get by with them as at first.

On a side note. When is the next "Building the Browns" video coming out? Should be the best one of the year ...

At this point they're waiting on the arrival of more Lego's before they continue any further.

I figured it would start with Dorsey carefully placing the Joker on his house of cards with the dot-matrix churning out his walking papers in the background.

If they don't get it right this time people will be looking back and wondering why we got rid of a man that brought that much talent here and hired someone to tear everything apart again. It runs in cycles.

No matter who it is, they will be called incompetent by someone eventually, it's what Browns fans do. If we don't become the Patriots in one year people will complain.

I'm pretty much with you there. It's a microwave world.

First, I believe that the Browns must hire a guy with proven NFL head coach experience. The point is the team is disorganized and lacks discipline. I don't believe you can find that in a NFL unproven college candidate without it being a crapshoot. That also would or should eliminate the coordinators being considered. Just because you're a good coordinator doesn't make you a good head coach prospect. Just a note on McDaniels, he's a great system coach - Bill B's system. Following the head coaches guidance is one thing - running it is quite another. Denver gave me all I need to know about McDaniels.

Second, I agree with what has been posted here about FA's, the draft and even Trent Williams. However, the most important item that needs to change and it needs to change the very first day that the Browns select their head coach is to sit Baker down and get him lined up with a QB trainer and he begins training now. Baker blew that off last year and it should be a condition of his employment going forward. Brady has one, Rodgers has one, Rivers has one and dammit, Baker needs one and he needs it like yesterday. He needs to work on touch, reads, and look offs which he is currently terrible at.


Third, the Browns must hire an offensive coordinator with the blessing of the head coach that will structure the offense to Baker's skill set. I believe we should be a run first team with the talent we have but we can be equally as impressive as a pass first team with our WR's and Baker doing serious off season work. Most teams lean one way or the other, the Browns have the skill players to be a dual threat at any time during the game. It's the main reason I'm against Stefanski. He's turned Minnesota's offense into a run team that is good for them but their skilled WR's and QB now seem out of place when forced to pass. That would be a killer to the Browns so IMO, Stefanski is out.

Forth, much like the offense, the Browns need a defensive coordinator that will put a team on the field that will be feared. The Browns defense doesn't instill fear into any team. After the offensive line, the Browns must focus on getting linebackers that can flow with great speed all over the field. If you look at SFO this year, their main defensive weapon is the ability of their LB's to move from sideline to sideline with great speed. The Browns need speed on defense and it has to start at linebacker.

Finally, that leads to McCarthy being the best choice for the position. I do think they need to move quickly though because I think Carolina has their eyes on McCarthy and he won't be on the market very long. At this point, the Browns need more than just a new head coach, they need a leader with proven NFL experience.