I was getting worried that we would never have a DC that knew how to properly use his talent. That he would be lost in the shuffle and end up on another team before he had the opportunity to showcase his talent and what he was capable of. Thank God Schwartz came along and changed all of that.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
IMO Woods knew the value that JOK could bring. He saw his talent. Woods was quoted when he was drafted that he could not wait to use him in all kinds of different ways. He said he needed to be careful and not put too much on his plate.
However, the big difference with Woods was confusing zone coverages. In addition Berry misplayed the DT position under Woods. Or, he could not make all the changes needed at one time.
Schwartz unlocked JOK. They played man on the outside. They brought in a much stronger rotation at DT. All that allowed JOK to do what he does best. Read and react quickly. He was not stuck into zone coverage. JOK now reads the play. He reads the block to determine pass or run and then reacts to the play. At times he reads the qb and retreats to coverage. He reads the run and shoots the open gap.
It was wild to see how plays he was making behind the LOS.
Now going into the second year with Schwartz. I think you can expect JOK to be used as blitzer more on certain downs. His value will increase because Schwartz trusts him more.
Adam "The Bull" left that show nearly two years ago. Nick Wilson is trash. At least get the simple details correct.
Also, that was in reaction to Watson's comment when he was on the podcast with Cam Newton and before Watson, himself, came and out addressed all the hullabaloo.
The show is not the same without Adam. Definitely not as good, at least to me. Kinda hum drum.
Many thought he was too light to play linebacker. IMO the linebacker position in the NFL has changed. It used to be dominated by bigger guys who really were in run support. Butkus type guys 6'3" 250 lbs.
Linebackers were supposed to stack and shed blockers.
Now what you see are rush linebackers like Parsons and TJ that are like small DE's in a 3/4.
JOK is a new breed of smaller guys who play "will." They are three down guys who are expected to cover backs and TE's and play zone.
JOK is not a stack and shed guy. He plays to beat the blocker to the gap. He out quicks the blocker.
He relies upon instinct, quickness, and ability to tackle. Often he gets to guys behind the LOS. TFL rate this season was incredible. Often if he did not get the tackle he re-routed the runner and caused the tackle.
JOK will be a key player for the Browns defense as his reps increase.
IMHO, after 2-years of trying to get Watson to play Stefanski's style of offense, it would appear the Browns might be trying to adjust the offense to the player rather than the wasted last 2 years of having Watson adjust to the offense (aka Mayfield 2.0).
Problem 1 that needs addressed: Watson has trouble reading the field. He has one of the slowest releases in football. Playing in a play action offense the majority of the time gives Watson less time to survey the field. The offense looks like a still-slightly out-of-sync edition of what the Browns are been trying to continually to nail down. When Chubb was gone, it removed the only running back with enough of a threat who was instrumental in selling Stefanski’s play-action-laden passing scheme.
Taken from a wider vantage, there is plenty to be worried about in Cleveland. But not all of it is Watson. The offensive line has to be far better in pass protection, but the loss of OL Coach Callahan is going to hurt. And if it can’t be, Watson is going to have to take some more risks with his legs or learn throw the ball away more often to avoid sacks. This is not a new problem though. Watson had the same issue at Clemson and at Houston. That was a never-ending storyline with getting Watson to get rid of the ball faster or just in any general way to avoid sacks. That never really happened consistently, and now it’s popping up again. Anytime you put Watson under center rather than the gun you magnify the problem.
Problem 2: A motion driven offense. Having motion within the offense helps the QB read the defense and identify areas of weakness prior to the snap. The Cleveland Browns offense was 31st in the league using motion during their offensive play. Now some of that may have been the lack of talent at the WR position or even the consistent scheme of using 2 TE's but the lack of motion is detriment to a QB who has a slow release. Add in a play action offense and you'll have a QB that struggles.
I'm not a fan of the Watson acquisition but he's here and I have to deal with that. Having a HC that continually tries to mold QB'S to the offense rather than to the players skill set is a much bigger issue. Maybe all the changes to the offensive side of coaches will correct these problems but I'm not holding my breath with Stefanski still in charge.
Note: Watson was ranked 55th out of 78 of all the QB's that were rated in 2023 release rate. Burrow CIN 9th @ 2.2 Rudolph PIT 21st @ 2.3 Watson CLE 55th @ 2.5 Jackson BAL 72nd @ 2.7
I like this breakdown because it’s a good starting point when evaluating how to get the best out of our offense.
The question from my POV boils down to philosophy vs. pragmatism. The team vs. star player. HC/OC vs. QB. Who’s going to have the final say?
When I listen to Andy Reid and his thoughts I get a sense of a strong leader who let his players flourish and express their talent inside a strong frame work. Team first. When I later listen to Mahomes, Mahomes Sr, Kelce and other greats I get the same tone. Team first. Whatever best for them to win is their first priority.
When Tom Brady talks about himself he often comes back to leadership, being a great team mate, accountability, doing the basics right, being prepared, embrace the moment. Tom Brady Sr. echoes similar thoughts why his son was so successful. Set your priorities right. Leadership. Accept your role. Team first.
I think the Browns first have to establish who’s their actual leader. Some of you will probably point out that this’s an obvious answer but I’m not so sure about this. Kevin is the HC on design but the real question is if all players are onboard with him having the final say? Watson’s comment cast some doubts and maybe I’m interpreting it wrong but when I compare the dynamic between Kevin and Joe Flacco compared to some of the interactions between Watson and Stefanski I’m not 100% sure. It’s not what I see that bothers me it’s more what I don’t see.
From my POV Kevin has to been the undisputed leader without hesitation. Any other way and the chances of success will immediately decrease. Building an offensive around Watson has to be on our head coach terms. If they have an authentic partnership then it will sort itself out automatically over time but if there’s a underlying conflict, some sort of power struggle with passive aggressive interactions, silence or any other distractions then the season is over before it even started.
"IMHO, after 2-years of trying to get Watson to play Stefanski's style of offense, it would appear the Browns might be trying to adjust the offense to the player rather than the wasted last 2 years of having Watson adjust to the offense (aka Mayfield 2.0)."
If one knows anything about offensive play design it is clear that KS has adjusted the offense to the quarterbacks who played for him.
This past season with four different quarterbacks is a classic example. In addition to what he did with Cousins, Baker and Jacoby.
The quoted statement is more of the same from steve trying to discredit KS.
Yeah but Andy Reid and Tom Brady. C'mon bone, quit being such a homer.
Learning from those who're successful is from my experience one of the better ways to improve but maybe that's not your way. Stay strong FATE, your time will come.
"Kevin is the HC on design but the real question is if all players are onboard with him having the final say? Watson’s comment cast some doubts and maybe I’m interpreting it wrong but when I compare the dynamic between Kevin and Joe Flacco compared to some of the interactions between Watson and Stefanski I’m not 100% sure. It’s not what I see that bothers me it’s more what I don’t see."
What you see is limited to what is on tv. What you do not see is the majority of the communication that actually takes place.
Don't let it bother you.
The players have no reason to question who has the final say. They know. Their job description as players is to do your job and improve on it daily.
Yeah but Andy Reid and Tom Brady. C'mon bone, quit being such a homer.
Learning from those who're successful is from my experience one of the better ways to improve but maybe that's not your way. Stay strong FATE, your time will come.
"Kevin is the HC on design but the real question is if all players are onboard with him having the final say? Watson’s comment cast some doubts and maybe I’m interpreting it wrong but when I compare the dynamic between Kevin and Joe Flacco compared to some of the interactions between Watson and Stefanski I’m not 100% sure. It’s not what I see that bothers me it’s more what I don’t see."
What you see is limited to what is on tv. What you do not see is the majority of the communication that actually takes place.
Don't let it bother you.
The players have no reason to question who has the final say. They know. Their job description as players is to do your job and improve on it daily.
It is elementary.
You're 100% correct that I only see a fraction of their communication so we're in agreement about that but sometimes one moment, or lack of moment, can give us some hint on what's realy going on inside someones mind. (Did you see Zuckerberg at the senate? - his facial expressions was something else and was in many cases a bit contradictial compared to his explanations - when he look down and presses his lips together it says more then a thousand words in my mind)
Regarding your other thoughts then it's probably more complicated what to believe. Have you ever heard of someone who says they're not a h i g h l y p r o f e s s i o n a l team player.
I will say that a WR/TE have an interest in receiving as much throws as possible instead of to much of running and game management. Better stats means a better platform to negotiate a new contract. If the OC/HC, or maybe in some cases a bad/reckless QB, limit their chances to shine then it can become a problem. Remember Baker/OBJ conflict. So I strongly suspect that many players sometimes have their own agenda that not necessarily is in line with what's best for the team. Remember what Brady said. Accept your role, team first. He probably in his days had some experience with these things I guess.
Secondly "improve on it daily". The difference in hard work and dedication between those who're super professional and not is probably as in any other sports or businesses. Some drive their car recklessly on their free time and starts a fight with the opponent's QB, others use massage therapists to fulfill a dark hole in their soul, or lie to judges or similar. That's highly professional, no matter if they're talented or not, don't you think? (sarcasm - so we don't misunderstanding each other) Even in heaven their's a grey scale between saints and other saints.
So what's elementary for you maybe isn't totally crystal clear for some others and btw I'm almost sure that you're fully aware of this. (motivation beats class - isn't that what we have learnt thru out the years)
Yeah but Andy Reid and Tom Brady. C'mon bone, quit being such a homer.
Learning from those who're successful is from my experience one of the better ways to improve but maybe that's not your way. Stay strong FATE, your time will come.
My time will come? What does that mean?
To be wiser my friend. Wiser, nothings to be upset about. I'm on the other side of the globe about 10h flight from you so hold your horses before searching for the bullwhip ;-)
Yeah but Andy Reid and Tom Brady. C'mon bone, quit being such a homer.
Learning from those who're successful is from my experience one of the better ways to improve but maybe that's not your way. Stay strong FATE, your time will come.
My time will come? What does that mean?
To be wiser my friend. Wiser, nothings to be upset about. I'm on the other side of the globe about 10h flight from you so hold your horses before searching for the bullwhip ;-)
I usually don't bother with this mess, but I'll retrace the conversation here...
Steve says we have two problems... Watson sucks, and Stefanski doesn't know how to build an offense around him. Sure there was more specificity, but that's what he's saying.
You respond with 'boy, finally a post I can sink my teeth into!' You then compare Watson to Tom Brady and Stefanski to Andy Reid. Next you infer that the Browns are a team with no real leader, and suggest that there may be a possible player mutiny because of that.
Now you want to pat me on the head and tell me eventually I'll 'wisen up'.
Regarding how head coaches in general along with their offensive staff members design and evolve offensive schemes.
There is not a coach in the NFL that does not comprehend the importance of utilizing the strengths of their players. It is a basic fundamental.
For a fan to make comments like KS is trying to force players to adjust to the offense. Shows a lack of understanding of how football coaches learn how to coach.
Ken Dorsey was just hired. In his press conference today he made it clear that the roster is facing change from free agency and the draft. New players on the team mean they as coaches have to learn about what they do best. That begins in the spring and continues even into the beginning of the season. That the offense will evolve as the team finds its playing personality.
Plays will be added and subtracted. The coaches are in a constant state of improving upon what works best. That process is all based upon the strengths of the players.
Opinions based upon limited understanding do not carry much weight.
Yeah but Andy Reid and Tom Brady. C'mon bone, quit being such a homer.
Learning from those who're successful is from my experience one of the better ways to improve but maybe that's not your way. Stay strong FATE, your time will come.
My time will come? What does that mean?
To be wiser my friend. Wiser, nothings to be upset about. I'm on the other side of the globe about 10h flight from you so hold your horses before searching for the bullwhip ;-)
I usually don't bother with this mess, but I'll retrace the conversation here...
Steve says we have two problems... Watson sucks, and Stefanski doesn't know how to build an offense around him. Sure there was more specificity, but that's what he's saying.
You respond with 'boy, finally a post I can sink my teeth into!' You then compare Watson to Tom Brady and Stefanski to Andy Reid. Next you infer that the Browns are a team with no real leader, and suggest that there may be a possible player mutiny because of that.
Now you want to pat me on the head and tell me eventually I'll 'wisen up'.
First fo all, I never said Watson sucks. That must be a self-imposed opinion. What I did say is that the ROI for Watson is void, nil, not trackable, NONE. In comparison, the 4.9M spent on Brisset and the 2.5M paid for Flacco returned a much higher ROI than Watson. That my friend cannot be disputed. The fact that the Browns have paid in actual cash 92M for the first 2-years makes the preceding even more disappointing but if you just took the cap charges of 28.452M allocated to Watson for the first 2-years makes his ROI sickening compared to the return they got on the total paid to the other two players. Hell, the production stats prove it even more.
Now about Stefanski. If, as you imply, Stefanski has knowingly built an offense around Watson and his skill set then why the wholesale changes in the offensive coaching staff at this point in Watson's contract? Think about that for a moment, 12 games and 2-years into Watson's time with the Browns and he doesn't have a single 300 yard passing game. This is a player that had 10 of 16 games played in 2020 with over 300 yards passing in a game and averaged 301.4 yards per game for the season. Since he became a Brown, playing in a Stefanski offense - 184.75 yards passing per game. Now if paying 230M for an elite QB that is (was) supposed to get the Browns over the top to a Super Bowl meant taking that player and his skill set and reduce his passing yards by 116.65 yards per game played and proves that the offense was built around Watsons skill set as demonstrated prior to coming to the Browns then I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you. You can call it whatever you want but just in passing yardage production, Watsons production is 61.29% of the production he had in 2020 and the Browns have paid 92M for that level of play thus far. But hey, sell me some more on how Stefanski has built the offense around Watson.
Yeah but Andy Reid and Tom Brady. C'mon bone, quit being such a homer.
Learning from those who're successful is from my experience one of the better ways to improve but maybe that's not your way. Stay strong FATE, your time will come.
My time will come? What does that mean?
To be wiser my friend. Wiser, nothings to be upset about. I'm on the other side of the globe about 10h flight from you so hold your horses before searching for the bullwhip ;-)
I usually don't bother with this mess, but I'll retrace the conversation here...
Steve says we have two problems... Watson sucks, and Stefanski doesn't know how to build an offense around him. Sure there was more specificity, but that's what he's saying.
You respond with 'boy, finally a post I can sink my teeth into!' You then compare Watson to Tom Brady and Stefanski to Andy Reid. Next you infer that the Browns are a team with no real leader, and suggest that there may be a possible player mutiny because of that.
Now you want to pat me on the head and tell me eventually I'll 'wisen up'.
English isn’t my first language, maybe tied second, so I apologize if my comments rubbed you the wrong way. It was a reference about learning from the best. Not any personal insult to you. My bad.
I’m not directly compare Stefanski to Reid but it’s helpful to compare to the golden standard when discussing how we can improve our culture.
When it comes to Watson his salary and background plays a role when we compare him to the best. With so much extra luggage on his back every comparison starts with looking at their off field behavior. Remember that the guy from Clemson was according to the majority of NFL insiders a better prospect than Mahomes. After six seasons he’s on a sliding trajectory and hasn’t improved since his first two three seasons and his leadership skills is at best mediocre, maybe in his best moments OK. Compare that to the guy with the Chiefs (the other guy, not Mr Handsome) who is the undisputed leader, their main star player and a perfect example of professionalism and winning mentality, The Golden standard that every other QB is compared to. DSW has so far nothing to show when it comes to deliver when it matters most. Is it because of mental weaknesses or maybe he’s not the most professional guy in the building.
My take on this is that without a strong leadership this trip can fast go sideways.
Yeah, it' not like some of the best experts miss on QB picks all the time. So far nothing has gone sideways. In fact quite the opposite. How quickly some forget the Browns made the playoffs with five staring QB's last season and thinks that signifies a lack in leadership. What crazy BS will they come up with next?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Yeah, it' not like some of the best experts miss on QB picks all the time. So far nothing has gone sideways. In fact quite the opposite. How quickly some forget the Browns made the playoffs with five staring QB's last season and thinks that signifies a lack in leadership. What crazy BS will they come up with next?
Maybe it’s your thing but you make up an assumption and then start your rant from something none of us has said.
Apart from that I’m a little bit surprised that you unintentionally admit that some overhyped QBs were overvalued. Most of them had the necessary talent, that where there for all to see, but very few knew about the quality of the other personality characteristics like winning mentality and for example how to interact with women.
So I agree with you Pit, even the best experts can go wrong. Glad we finally cleared that up in a friendly way.
I wish I had the ambition to read that trash. Wait, no I don't.
Quotable Albert Breer - via Zolak and Bertrand Show
"The reason he was let go in Cleveland was because ownership and [Chief Strategy Officer] Paul DePodesta, not Kevin Stefanski, were frustrated with the progress Deshaun Watson has made. I don't think the people who made that decision really knew Van Pelt's value to that staff."
But hey, Stefanski has the offense built around Watson, RIGHT? Somebody forgot to tell the decision makers for the Browns though.
"The reason he was let go in Cleveland was because ownership and [Chief Strategy Officer] Paul DePodesta, not Kevin Stefanski, were frustrated with the progress Deshaun Watson has made. I don't think the people who made that decision really knew Van Pelt's value to that staff."
Haslam went looking for someone to blame for Watson's lack of progress...that certain someone volunteered VanPelt...
But, how is Watson going to show progress when he's recovering FROM SURGERY on his throwing shoulder and the doctors will be the authority that determines when Watson will be cleared to begin throwing a football again?
Looks like those who made the trade for Watson are beginning to panic a bit.
"The reason he was let go in Cleveland was because ownership and [Chief Strategy Officer] Paul DePodesta, not Kevin Stefanski, were frustrated with the progress Deshaun Watson has made. I don't think the people who made that decision really knew Van Pelt's value to that staff."
Haslam went looking for someone to blame for Watson's lack of progress...that certain someone volunteered VanPelt...
But, how is Watson going to show progress when he's recovering FROM SURGERY on his throwing shoulder and the doctors will be the authority that determines when Watson will be cleared to begin throwing a football again?
Looks like those who made the trade for Watson are beginning to panic a bit.
"Hey boss, come on in."
Haslam looks angry, wringing his hands, eyebrows stitched together. "You know Kev, this Watson things has us looking like fools, the sharks want their pound of flesh."
Stefanski looks confused, cocks his head. "I'm not sure what you're getting at..." He pauses as he suddenly wonders if he's getting fired.
"We need to let someone go, a scapegoat." Haslam sits down, crosses his legs, dusts some crumbs off the arm of the chair. He sips his bourbon as he stares into space.
"Well, there are strong rumors Brian's gonna get that job in Tennessee and Bill will probably join him... we could fire him before he quits? I mean, we'll let him know and wait 'til the rumors are confi..."
"NO, you fool", he slams his glass down. "I can't fire a legend! How would that look?? I'm tired of looking like an overreaching, incompetent owner."
The tension is palpable. Kevin feels the heat rising in the room, he walks over and raises the window. In the distance, he hears a dog barking. It's a small, harmless dog, probably a chihuahua, the irony is not lost on him.
"Okay... well, Stump is an easy choice. I think he's probably leaving anyway. Especially if the rumors about he and Kareem's girlfriend are true."
"That won't cut it. That's an ounce of flesh and he's another NFL legend." Haslam sips his fine liquor... "AVP has got to go."
Stefanski's elbows hit the desk and his chin falls between his thumbs. His biggest fear confirmed. As the voices in his head take hold, Haslam's begins to fade..."Actually, let's clean house a bit. Who's that Tight End guy? I don't really care for him..."
Haslam pops up and grabs his glass. Reenergized, strutting toward the door he pauses... "And one more, get rid of at least one more, we'll look more focused if it's viewed as 'restructuring'". He turns and smiles, "thanks Kev". He downs the last of his drink and firmly places his glass on the file cabinet marked "Guard Rails" as he leaves.
Stefanski is now rubbing his temples as he glances across the room. He sees his playchart... it seems a million miles away. He panics as he realizes...
Grabbing his phone, he quickly swipes and dials.
The seconds seem like minutes as he waits for the tone.
Berry answers... "Hey, how's my favorite coach of the ye..."
People will jump on any quote and then run with it like it was the verified truth.
steve has been promoting any BS he can make up to discredit KS.
No matter what OC or offensive changes it still comes back to KS. I am good with that. KS is responsible for the offense.
What I dislike and know is his false narrative is that KS does not build the offense around his players. steve would not know the difference if he did or did not.
If the team wins and DW does not throw for 300 yards. steve thinks it is because of KS not using DW right. If we lost and DW threw for 300 yards. He would say it was because KS didn't run enough or play calling was the issue.
If you want a slanted accounting page of stats. steve is the man.
I don't think ATM that KS is a elite HC but he has potential. With time he maybe can developed to take that extra step needed and more importantly he's OUR head coach, so from that perspective I want him to succeed.
As an executive that's mostly responsible for the day to day results I suspect that he like any head coach wants (and needs) to have full control to succeed. Two man at the steering wheel is a recipe for disaster. I don't see this as a conflict to delegation and shared responsibility, that's more about smooth co-operation. I don't like the ungoing noises about restrict Kevin or letting Watson getting any sort of decision power. Look at his past, nobody can be that naive to think that's a good idea..
A QB can in a worst case scenario have his own agenda, maybe even lack full commitment, and is one cog together with ten more in the machine, and undoubtably a moving part if the something don't click the right way. Even with an obscene salary, totally unproportional compared to the outcome of his his availabiity.
The hire/fire carousel that's once again surrounding the Browns is not from my experience the most optimal way to improve our management. I understand that we have to make changes but I don't like the way we're doing it. Too much uncertainty and it ended with more questions than answers. Seeing Kevin a bit uncomfortable, and maybe not fully informed or with restrictions to talk, and not taking questions didn't exactly fill me with confidence. Why not do everything, present in and outgoing coaches at the same time, and then take questions. Chopped information news just create new specualtions and fuel uncertainty.
I'm certainly glad to know you have made yourself the self appointed expert on evaluating NFL HC's. You'll have to forgive us who have followed the game for over 50 years who disagree.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
"The reason he was let go in Cleveland was because ownership and [Chief Strategy Officer] Paul DePodesta, not Kevin Stefanski, were frustrated with the progress Deshaun Watson has made. I don't think the people who made that decision really knew Van Pelt's value to that staff."
Haslam went looking for someone to blame for Watson's lack of progress...that certain someone volunteered VanPelt...
But, how is Watson going to show progress when he's recovering FROM SURGERY on his throwing shoulder and the doctors will be the authority that determines when Watson will be cleared to begin throwing a football again?
Looks like those who made the trade for Watson are beginning to panic a bit.
"Hey boss, come on in."
Haslam looks angry, wringing his hands, eyebrows stitched together. "You know Kev, this Watson things has us looking like fools, the sharks want their pound of flesh."
Stefanski looks confused, cocks his head. "I'm not sure what you're getting at..." He pauses as he suddenly wonders if he's getting fired.
"We need to let someone go, a scapegoat." Haslam sits down, crosses his legs, dusts some crumbs off the arm of the chair. He sips his bourbon as he stares into space.
"Well, there are strong rumors Brian's gonna get that job in Tennessee and Bill will probably join him... we could fire him before he quits? I mean, we'll let him know and wait 'til the rumors are confi..."
"NO, you fool", he slams his glass down. "I can't fire a legend! How would that look?? I'm tired of looking like an overreaching, incompetent owner."
The tension is palpable. Kevin feels the heat rising in the room, he walks over and raises the window. In the distance, he hears a dog barking. It's a small, harmless dog, probably a chihuahua, the irony is not lost on him.
"Okay... well, Stump is an easy choice. I think he's probably leaving anyway. Especially if the rumors about he and Kareem's girlfriend are true."
"That won't cut it. That's an ounce of flesh and he's another NFL legend." Haslam sips his fine liquor... "AVP has got to go."
Stefanski's elbows hit the desk and his chin falls between his thumbs. His biggest fear confirmed. As the voices in his head take hold, Haslam's begins to fade..."Actually, let's clean house a bit. Who's that Tight End guy? I don't really care for him..."
Haslam pops up and grabs his glass. Reenergized, strutting toward the door he pauses... "And one more, get rid of at least one more, we'll look more focused if it's viewed as 'restructuring'". He turns and smiles, "thanks Kev". He downs the last of his drink and firmly places his glass on the file cabinet marked "Guard Rails" as he leaves.
Stefanski is now rubbing his temples as he glances across the room. He sees his playchart... it seems a million miles away. He panics as he realizes...
Grabbing his phone, he quickly swipes and dials.
The seconds seem like minutes as he waits for the tone.
Berry answers... "Hey, how's my favorite coach of the ye..."
If Reports are Right, Kevin Stefanski Should Walk Away from Browns After 2024 Season
Considering the reports from TheMMQB's Albert Breer about the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Stefanski should walk away from the team after his contract concludes following the 2024 season.
If Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta forced head coach Kevin Stefanski to fire Alex Van Pelt from his offensive coordinator role, Stefanski should coach out the final year of his contract and get the heck out of Cleveland. Stefanski has a chance to take the Browns to the playoffs for the third time in five seasons, then be able to write his own ticket with any number of apparently better run organizations. Considering what Stefanski has been able to achieve with the Browns, it's the only reasonable course of action.
In a conversation with Zolak and Bertend on 98.5 The Hub in Boston, the MMQB's Albert Breer said, "The reason (Van Pelt) was let go in Cleveland was because ownership and Paul DePodesta, not Kevin Stefanski - ownership and Paul DePodesta were frustrated with the progress Deshaun Watson had made."
Effectively, Stefanski doesn't have his control over his own staff. If he can't even have the final word on who his coaches are, Stefanski has every incentive to leave Cleveland as soon as possible.
The 11-6 record in 2024 and making the postseason as four different quarterbacks were at the helm for victories along the way is a historic achievement. Evidently, it would undersell the job Stefanski did this past season, as he not only led the team through so many injuries and churn on the roster but did so while navigating organizational dysfunction. His second Coach of the Year award should be a lock.
Chasing off the only coach who's had any success would be the single biggest embarrassment the Haslams have had in their time owning the Browns, worse than hiring Hue Jackson as head coach or drafting Johnny Manziel and Justin Gilbert in the first round of the 2014 draft. There would be no fixing the team at that point. Fans would be rooting for a dead franchise.
It's also possible - even likely - that Stefanski saw how mismatched his offensive coaching staff was with the team's personnel and chose to make a change. The offense with Watson early in the season was clunky. The running game died the moment Nick Chubb went down for the season. The Browns are doing everything they can to be as competitive as possible because they aren't satisfied with just being a wildcard team. They want to win the division and host playoff games. These are almost the exact words general manager Andrew Berry used in his season-ending press conference.
Regardless of what people choose to believe, Deshaun Watson is Stefanski's guy. Along with Andrew Berry, they made the choice to target Watson and then convinced ownership to give them the green light. For those who believe ownership effectively chose Watson for them, it's another reason for Stefanski and Berry to get out of Cleveland. If Watson isn't meshing with the coaching staff, Stefanski has more incentive than anyone to change it to fit with the centerpiece of his offense.
If he's honest, Stefanski likely wishes he could've made that change last season. But with the team already changing coordinators both on defense and special teams, it's understandable why he kept the offensive staff together. But after talking about evolving the offense to better fit Watson last offseason, little changed. It felt as if the offensive staff was incapable of leaving their comfort zone, which likely cemented Stefanski's decision to go in a different direction. Stefanski wanted to find coaches who were better equipped to design an offense around Watson and try to keep them on the cutting edge.
It's also reasonable for ownership to ask about their $230 million investment that's only played 11 games to this point. No one within the Browns can be happy with the progress Watson has made or the return on that investment to this point. It would be alarming if they were. Injuries this season didn't help, but Watson has not been what the Browns envisioned when they acquired him. Getting him to become the franchise quarterback they need is the team's top priority.
Joe Flacco playing as well as he did under the circumstances was impressive. It made for a great story, and Van Pelt deserves a world of credit for helping to adapt the offense on the fly. It also served to further crystallize the disconnect with Watson. The Browns aren't trying to build an offense to do enough with a grab bag of quarterbacks while the defense does the heavy lifting. The Browns want an offense that maximizes Watson, competing to be one of the best in the league. That didn't happen in the past two years. It was time to make a change.
o be fair to Breer, he did mention Van Pelt's adaptability. Given how bad the Patriots offense has been, Van Pelt's ability to quickly cultivate an identity would be a welcome change. Frankly, Flacco's run at the end of the season might be a reason for Van Pelt to try to reunite with the veteran signal-caller in Foxboro. It might work better than running it back with either Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe.
Van Pelt could have been a good coach and been an integral part of a Browns team that went to the playoffs twice in four seasons, a good fit with Flacco and Baker Mayfield. He could also be a poor fit with Watson, necessitating the change. Further, had the Browns kept Van Pelt, he would've been the longest-tenured offensive coordinator in the league by two years. Perhaps it's ridiculous how much turnover there is in NFL coaching on that side of the ball, but it's an evolve-or-die business, and Stefanski showed he isn't satisfied with simply surviving.
As it pertains to DePodesta, any time something comes up that doesn't have a clear answer and might be perceived as negative, DePodesta's name seems to surface. There are parents in Northeast Ohio who tell stories about DePodesta to scare misbehaving children. When backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs had a couple of decent games this past season, a report surfaced that DePodesta was behind the trade that sent him to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The report came on the heels of the announcement that Deshaun Watson would be out for the rest of the season, and the Browns were turning to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Curiously, when the Browns continued to win, and Dobbs struggled, later benched by the Minnesota Vikings, no one went back to give DePodesta credit.
Yahoo Sports podcast with insider Charles Robinson noted “organizational dysfunction” with the Browns right now.
He said the decision to trade away Joshua Dobbs had more to do with Paul DePodesta than Andrew Berry.
Not great stuff. #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/hX9hygrgph
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) November 16, 2023 In December of 2022, a local reporter published an article accusing DePodesta of dictating to Stefanski what plays he could call on offense. According to the article, DePodesta's edict was that the vast majority of running plays had little value and that the team should be passing at a far higher rate because of 'analytics.' A hilarious claim since the Browns finished that season fifth in the league with 31.3 rushing attempts per game that season. Even this past season, when the Browns rushing attack was the worst it's been in four seasons under Stefanski, the team was still fifth in the league with 29.9 rushing attempts per game.
DePodesta's job is in an advisory capacity, which lends itself to ambiguity and speculation. Most of his role comes down to helping the Browns stay focused on their overarching goals, trying to create processes that produce more predictable, better results. As a result, he's in plenty of high-level conversations and provides input, which can be done all the way from California. He's proven to be smart, so people tend to listen to him whether they act on his advice or not.
As an example, Haslam didn't listen to DePodesta when he was one of the people who suggested the team hire Sean McDermott or Kevin Stefanski the first time as the team's head coach. Unfortunately, that has never stopped people from accusing DePodesta of being a meddling force acting behind the scenes, hiring and firing coaches, engineering trades, making draft picks, and even calling offensive plays. But if that were true, it's another reason for Stefanski and Berry to get out of Cleveland, even if they are benefiting from some of those decisions.
Getting back to Breer's comments, he didn't come up with this report out of thin air. There's nothing to suggest Breer has animosity for the Browns or Stefanski. Someone, or likely multiple people, provided him with this version of events. There's a good chance those people are no longer with the Browns. They also likely have an incentive for the Browns to fire AVP because of ownership and DePodesta as opposed to Stefanski making the decision based on the lack of cohesion with Watson. In one version, AVP is the problem, whereas in the other, he's a victim.
So, when it comes to evaluating the comments from Breer, it's reasonable to ask who benefits from this being the talk coming out so quickly after Van Pelt's ouster. Who needs this to be out there the most? That doesn't disprove anything Breer said, but it's appropriate to have a healthy amount of skepticism. It's never been difficult to sell dysfunction with the Browns, even after a season when they've arguably never needed to be on the same page more.
Kevin Stefanski needs to get the best out of Deshaun Watson, so he needs to nail these hires. If they are unsuccessful, much of the fault will lie with him. But if the Browns produce a better offense in the same way the hires of Jim Schwartz and Bubba Ventrone led to improvements on defense and special teams, these types of accusations will once again fade into the background. Either that or Stefanski will walk at the end of his contract and confirm the worst fears fans have regarding the Browns franchise, dysfunction and meddling ownership.
I don’t understand all these speculations and innuendos. Maybe KS and the FO saw how much better the D and ST were after coaching changes and felt the same could be done with the O. It may be that simple.
Maybe I am wrong but all this sounds like "fill in the blanks" reporting. No sources to verify what actually took place.
When Schwartz was hired I didn't see as much speculation.
Depo is now Darth Vadar. Haslam meddles.
It is possible that KS wanted to change. Rees was hired as TE coach and then given the title of pass game specialist.
AVP and Bill Callahan were also offensive assistant coaches in addition to their titles. Other offensive coaches include Chad O' Shea and Bill Musgrave.
Maybe KS wanted some different ideas. Callahan was leaving to coach with his son.
Teams change coordinators and coaches for many reasons. They do not need to justify decisions to the fan base.
It's by Albert Breer. The same sportswriter steve quoted earlier who is pushing the narrative the the FO forced Stefanski to make these coaching changes. So now Breer is simply pushing his narrative even further. They found a single writer who is telling the story they want to hear and as such have hopped on the Albert Breer train.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
