DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski sign contract extensions with the Browns

I actually find this surprising. That would mean the Haslams were not fond of Baker which I don’t think was the case.

More than likely the way it played out was Berry and Co. did their due diligence and got Haslam all spun up about the possibility of Watson here. Once they got Haslam spun up about it and once they got removed from consideration then I bet Haslam might of interjected and probably asked what it would take to get it done. Then made it happen.

But the way you wrote this pdawg kind of implies that Haslam was behind the whole thing. I just can’t fathom that’s the way it went down.

It seems you don't understand what "helped to facilitate it" means. To facilitate means to make something easier. That's far different from the assertions you're making.

You already moved the goal posts by claiming "helped to facilitate" means something it doesn't.

The airplane that took them down to meet with Watson also facilitated the deal. As did the copy room that was printing out the contract... and the pen Watson used to sign it.

I'm late here, but this is well deserved and a no brainer

Maybe it’s time for this opinion to be up for discussion again? (Not a personal rant against you Dawgs4Life but from a wider perspective)

The first time I had a reason to question these guys decision makings was how they handled Baker when he got injured. To call it incompetence and childish behavior is an understatement. (and that goes for all three of them)

The second time was when they signed Watson.

The red warning flags was blinking all the way until he signed but their naivety and inexperience probably got them blindsided to be part of a deal that will probably soon be labeled as on of the worst trade in the NFL history.

Have these two improved this organization since 2020 if we factor the resources that they have gotten to their disposal?

Maybe an unpopular view but I expect a Tripp Trapp Trull scenario when the season is over if we don’t turn this over and go to the playoffs.

Stefanski will probably be the first scapegoat.
Berry maybe has luck but I expect him going too and as so as the owners find a suitable financial solution then Watson will finally have his sought out happy ending.

$230m guaranteed isn’t a “swing”.

What you’re doing, intentionally or probably unintentionally, is to make us believe that Berry and Stefanski didn’t have authority and integrity enough to vote against if they thought that Watson was the wrong choice.

So what do you believe?

The Haslam’s is exclusively making all the decisions by themselves without consulting his two powerless sidekicks or maybe, just maybe, that all of the organization’s important decision makers was onboard when they decided to pay Watson guaranteed money.

I'd go with something in between.

Haslams said get it done and Berry set a budget. Kevin was likely on board due to the Baker stuff, I don't think they meshed. Once Watson "nah" to the offer the rich guy decided he would buy his way back in and blew the budget, which is his right to do. Whether he bought a lemon or the sale created a lemon is something we can debate but will never really know since we can't look into alternate universes.

I don't think Haslam pushed for Watson at all, neither did Depo.. The move doesn't fit with an owner concerned with his image, and the analytics don't fit for Depo. This was 100 Berry and KS selling it to Haslam

I disagree strongly on Depo - Watson was an analytics wet dream with some of his stats in his best years in HOU. We got them quoted to us repeatedly when the trade was made to tell us what a stud we were getting any time posters expressed doubt over the trade. And based on the front office being tight and on board and all on the same page, I have to think the decision was made jointly and all 4 own it.

never said he didn't have final say, you made it sound like it was his idea. Big difference. This was KS/Berry selling it to Haslam and haslam agreeing to it

His stats were good, but stats for what? Two vastly different style of offense, would the same stats matter, Now I never said all 4 didn't have some hand in it, I'm just saying it didn't start at the top and go down. I still say this was a Berry/KS pick and they brought it up the chain and sold it

j/c

I can't see any way where the move for Watson is made without a strong approval from ownership (if not an edict)

I can't imagine being a GM and urging us to sign him, even despite his on the field play

we've reached the point (if we hadn't already) where the organization needs to just cut bait with him IMO. The fans, in general, hate him. It seems like the players don't believe in him ... nor does he believe in himself.

Our offense has been so bad

Based on what? The man with the most to gain in all of this was Haslam. Bringing a consistent winner to Cleveland and a possible Super Bowl would line his pockets more than anyone. Just selling the fan base the Browns had a shot at a SB with watson at QB would line his pockets. The one consistent thing people can do to find the answer to a question is follow the money.

The key word in your argumentation is ‘big risk’ and so far the “big risk” has been a total failure.
That alone should tell you that the risk wasn’t worth taking if you consider all the negative factors that surrounded Watson at the time he signed the contract.

If DSW had no history's of bad behaviors, no history of conflicts with his former employer and no legal issues then maybe it would be a risk worth taking.

An unexpected injury is something that’s out of our control but with all the negative luggage that followed Watson it wasn’t a “big risk”, it was a stupid and irresponsible decision who seemed to be endorsed by two naive leaders who didn’t do a deep enough due diligence and who didn’t use their common sense.

Any sensible leader with experience would have said no to guaranteed money, especially 230m over 5 years.

That itself, together with this seasons negative trend of bad results, is why some of us are questioning Berry and Ski’s competence.

DW isn’t playing at a top ten level as you probably is aware of so that’s why this discussion is relevant.
My opinion is that making such a huge investment and not improving the results must came with consequences.

bone...I agree...any attempt to lay the blame for this Watson debacle onto HC Stefanski or GM Berry would be nothing more than a successful search by those at the very top of the Browns franchise to find their scapegoats for the mess they manufactured.

It's about time that those at the top of the Browns franchise accept their responsibility as the owner and chief strategist.

I'm not sure you're totally familiar with how it work in the corporate world because any crucial decision involving almost 25% of future outgoing expensives inside such a big organization doesn't work the way you two think.
Off course the owners have the final say regarding signing the check, and that goes without saying because the franchise at that time needed a financial injection from the outside to cover the escrow, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't a joint decision involving ALL senior figures inside the organization.

Do you really think that the Haslams is signing the NFL's most expensive contract ever and let two key figures inside the organization execute the decision if they're not sure that all senior figures is totally comfortable with the situation and 100% committed to the future.
Honestly my friends?


Remember the press conference when Berry was publicly defending Watson in front of the whole world and Ski was trying to talk football in a situation when nearly nobody cared.
Do you two really think that any NFL owner would let this happen without knowing that everybody on that stage is fully commited and part of the Browns future?

You can be 100% sure of that it was a mutual decision that required DePodesta, Berry and Stefanski's approval.
Otherwise the Browns would have hired a new GM and a new HC to make sure that everybody walked in the same direction long before they took at decision.

You can probably say a lot about the owners, but you can be sure that their lawyers and financial advisers would never advised them to finalize such a big deal without total consensus.

The scapegoats will not be the owners. That I'm sure about.

Just to continue if I put myself in Berry and Stefanski’s shoes and they had concerns then they probably buried such thoughts immediately when Baker publicly informed the Browns that he was not interested going back. Just to clarify my thoughts what’s happen next is totally understandable from both the Browns and Baker.

Of course Berry and Ski are smart enough to understand that there was serious concerns regarding Watsons situation but what they say in public and what they think inside their own bedroom is two different things.

Both have a career to think about and in such situations they immediately have to pick side so they don’t raise concerns about their commitment.

What I think happened was that when Watson’s camp was willing to accept the offer (guaranteed money) both the owners and the Browns decision makers was willing to cut some corners and gamble even if they had concerns. Maybe their initial due diligence on Watson the player wasn’t deep enough and didn’t cover all potential risks that followed signing a free floating freestyle QB. (this is my definition of his style of play)

From what I can see, and you can correct me if you think I’m wrong, he seems to be a player who makes his best plays on instincts and reaction.
That’s not Stefanski’s way of calling plays.

I totally understand your thoughts so apologies for my long rant. Winning is everything and when you get older you don’t care and how even if Watson isn’t my cup of tea. Peace my friend and hope your health will be with you for many more years.

I fully understand what Bone is saying. I’m not 70 yet but i’m just a few years away. I’ve been a diehard fan since 1967. I’m starting to realize that I’ll never see my Browns in a Super Bowl. Heck the way things are going I might never see them win the North. Sad 😞

Congratulations!
77 is a respectable age and I’m sure you have many more good years in front of you. Never lose faith.

I know exactly when the Browns will win the Superbowl.

2 years after I die
It won't be the year after because they will want to make sure that I am dead and gone
They wouldn't want to take any chances

Health is the most important thing we have in life but you seem to be a fighter so just continue doing your exercises and eat healthy, you will come a long way with that.

It’s so frustrated being a Browns supporter because most of the organizations problems is lack of leadership, discipline and accountability.
Bad results just don’t come flying without a reason. From what I see on game days and press conferences is that players and coaches seem to accept bad results without doing a deep dive into what’s is missing.

Go on record saying we need an adult in the QB room and then trade for Watson says it all. Honestly.
I don’t blame Deshaun, he’s fat and happy now. He doesn’t care any longer as long as he gets his pay check.
Isn’t that obvious.

Happy Birthday Bonefish..

Happy Birthday Bone and many more in good health 👍