DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns Fire Offensive Coaches

A little surprised, especially about AVP. But also Mitchell.doesn’t AVP get some credit for prepping five starting quarterbacks and as for Mitchell, he lost Chubb, for Pete’s sake. I am glad he didn’t sack Callahan because the fifth string tackles sucked.

None of this means anything unless we hire a new OC and take playcalling away from Stefanski.

I think that's exactly what's going on here.

There are reports that AVP is still under contract but that could simply be a formality.

But to your comment, how so? If anything, I think it is about finding an OC that might be more aligned with Watson's skill set if the reports are true.

Stefanski should not give up play calling. He had a fantastic year.

Too slow.

Funny, everyone talks about how great the season was yet 5 days after being eliminated from the playoffs - offensive heads roll. Might be just a coincidence, but it would appear that maybe Haslam wasn't so happy with the results and lack of meeting expectations. IMHO, they should have cut the head off the snake instead all his minions, but somebody needed to take the fall.

Obviously not everyone in Berea is happy with what they saw this year. I wonder if they are done yet?

Strange and surprising news.

My initial reaction feels like same old Browns.

Granted we don’t know what went on behind the scenes that lead to these decisions but it feels off.

I guess it just looks and smells like it. If it's about Watson's skill set, why are the RB and TE coaches gone as well? Seems weird to me. Seems like they already know who is coming in and already know who he wants to work with. That leads to the human nature of assuming he's a little higher on the food chain than a non-playcalling OC. Just my impression.

And this is not to be confused with my preference. I agree 100% with your thoughts on Stefanski and his playcalling, particularly this year. I'd say he has arrived firmly as a strong play-calling HC that makes everything else seem easy as well. There is never the feeling that he's chasing his ass trying to manage everything anymore.

I think the evaluation is that if the team is going to go to the next level, they had to overhaul the offense. I think they saw what Schwartz did for the defense and will try to replicate that on offense. Leading the league in turnovers is not an offensive category that a team should lead the league in. Besides injuries that was the main factor that held this team back from winning division and playoff game.

I am particularly surprised by the Stump Mitchell firing he has been a fixture here, surviving a head coaching change. The TE's coach firing is mildly surprising given the success that Njoku had this year. my first thought is that AVP's offense did not fit with Watson and the team is all in on setting Watson up for success? If the premise is that they know who they want to bring in, I wonder who it will be?

I think Njoku's success is directly tied to his opportunities.

He had 123 targets this year compared to 80 last year compared to 53 the year before. His talent was always there and people saw it in his first two seasons in the NFL when he was being targeted 74 times on average. I don't think Njoku's success is directly tied to his coach (although it could be) but, IMO more about his increased role (finally) at getting the rock.

Funny how you say AVP's offense - I'm not so sure that's accurate. I'm pretty sure that AVP was the QB coach too. If this is for Watson, is it player driven, or FO driven? If it's Watson driven, where have we heard this song and dance before?

Watson wanted the OC, RB coach and TE coach fired after playing five games this season??

There's a song and dance we've heard before, just not the one you're speaking of.

I think in the NFL you need a top 10 offense to advance
Far in the playoffs. In the Browns last 2 playoff appearances
They accomplished nothing. Not 1 AFC title game to show for it.
And with the money allocated to Watson I'm sure his opinion
Weighs heavy behind closed doors. Maybe he felt it was
Time to change offensive coaches in order for himt to prosper.
The Browns haven't had a lethal offense in many decades
You can't reach a SB with a paper tiger defense and a so so
Offense.

And some people keep talking about how taking such an injury riddled team with no continuity at the QB position to the playoffs sucked. Like that makes sense.

I didn't bring up the Watson connection, I was just responding to it. If you have the insight, please let us know the reasons for the dismissals on the offensive side of the ball. If you do not know, then Watson could be just as viable a cause as he is not as you say.

Funny though that the ones let go are not the game planners or play callers. Does anyone think Stump could have done better than he did with Ford and Hunt? After waiting 7-years for Njoku to finally play up to expectations (at least 1/2 the season) you're now going to fire the TE coach? What's the status on the WR coach since basically the Browns only had 1 performing viable WR in Cooper?

There's something that stinks with these moves IMHO.

Might be as you say, Mac. I have questioned the 'committee project' approach to managing games' preparation because it can muddy the results taken away. These are some of the same folks we cheered when we were winning.
I am glad Callahan wasn't included in the purge. I suggest considering that this might be what ownership's doubling down on Watson looks like in light of the "silk purse from sow's ear" season results we ended up with. It sounds like some new blood is incoming to me. I will regret losing Stump. In hindsight, more offense production would have resulted in more wins. I hope it works out. Thanks to these coaches for a memorable year.

What do we have behind door #2 for our contestants Bob?

It's the same old Browns!

This year the Browns, quadrupling down on a miserable decision to sign Watson, immediately after seeing the success they can have with a real QB like Flacco (even with 3rd stringers around him) decide to fire their entire offensive staff, including the widely regarded best RB coach in the business,.

Why? We don't need to run the stinking ball. This is the air Watson show baby! Brilliant!

Facing the possibility of actually achieving continuity and success, the Browns decided to Browns. Besides, Baltimore and Pitt are playoff teams and Cincinnati will get a healthy Burrow back next year so it's not likely they had high hopes of winning much anyway.

Factory of Sadness come on down!!

By the end of the day, we'll have posters saying Watson held Haslam at gunpoint and shoved a list of people he wanted fired down his throat while Stefanski watched and peed his pants.

The OC will be replaced with the ghost of Don Coryell. We won't need a RB coach because we won't be running the ball. We won't need a TE coach because it's Five Wide all day baby!

Trying to read tea leaves. Stump was fired (let go before his contract was up), McCartney was simply not brought back. Unless it's just coincidence about when contracts ended, I think the difference could be significant.

I don't think it's hard to imagine the team's disappointment with how Ford did this year. Yes, Ford had a lot working against him in terms of unsettled QB play for a good chunk of the year allowing defenses to key on the run, and then subpar blocking up front when Oline injuries started piling up... but I also think that Ford put too many bad plays of his own on tape. He's also not a rookie, so Stump has had some time with him. Not the best look when all you have to show for your coaching is Chubb and Hunt (who came in gtg).

Similarly, I also don't think it's that surprising about the TEs coach. Njoku's breakout is great and all, but it's like 5 years or so overdue. Harrison Bryant doesn't seem to have progressed much.

I can't really speak intelligently on AVP's being let go. Having not played football, I really can't appreciate the impact an OC has when he doesn't call plays and it's not "his" O.

pending the new hires, I'm OK with these moves. it is all about Watson and I never felt like he was comfortable or playing up to his contract (and maybe he never will)

bard..imo, Haslam and Stefanski are focused on doing anything and everything they can to help get the most out of Watson.

One of the traits or tendencies I did not expect to see from Watson was how easily he seemed to lose focus after a bad play and once distracted, Watson appeared to struggle to recover his focus. Part of reason for the coaching changes might be an effort limit the number of coaches who influence the QB and the offense.

Stefanski coached RBs, TEs, QBs and was the OC while coaching for the Vikings...the very positions that the Browns axed. Stefanski wants these positions coached as "HE" sees fit, especially since Stefanski's job might be on the chopping block a year from now.

jmo

Yes, the possible coach of the year starts the next season on the hot seat. Only in the minds of those that have an agenda.

EVERY HC in the NFL's "job might be on the chopping block a year from now."

Firing AVP is like firing the janitor on the titanic.. If there are offensive failures its stefanski. Stump is gone because he didn't do anything. It was proven this year that Chubb made him look good and when it was up to him to make an impact he couldn't get anything out of the run game. Not sure if was fair to any of those guys after the injuries we had on the oline, I don't know how anyone else would have done better. If any year was the year to just keep it intact and run it back it would be this one. These moves don't make much sense.

Callie Brownson 'bout to be named OC....or Quincy Avery.

I think the Browns want to change the offense scheme more in the direction of 11-personnel.

Right now it is play-action driven and has become a complementary piece to the defense. As long as the defense does well so goes the team.

Offenses such as the Colts, Texans, and Cardinals have done more with less. I don't think these offenses are superior. They were less predictable than Cleveland.

Cleveland's offense has the talent to be an innovator. The current direction meant searching for talent upgrades to execute a predictable offensive scheme.

It will be very interesting to see who Stefanski and Berry hire.

I don't think the three sacked coaches meant failure. I truly believe they want to build a different offensive scheme. I also would keep an eye on Bill Musgrave as the next OC.

I'm inclined to agree with you here, but I want to reserve judgement for who they bring in as replacements. To go along with your metaphor, I hope this coaching shakeup isn't just rearranging deck chairs while the ship is sinking.

This team just went 11-6 in the regular season with a patchwork of players. Nothing is sinking.

Are we firing coaches for sake of making changes?

Who is Quincy Avery and why should we care?

There is a phrase in the business world that if you're not improving your getting worse. This team was 11-6 Regular Season, 2 games behind the Division Champs. They made the playoffs but lost on the road. I believe Stefanski and Berry looked in the mirror and said what moves can we make to win the AFC North? What moves can we make to have a deeper playoff run. Revamping the offense seems like what they determined when they looked into that mirror. When they hire an offensive coordinator, it will probably be much easier to say only caveat is we want you to keep Bill Callahan on as offensive line coach instead of saying we want you, but we don't want you to hire your own staff. I think they both felt that in today's NFL you have to score points even with a great defense. It took 33 points to beat the Ravens. That I believe is the reason for these moves and not blame for 1 bad game.