How the Browns bottomed out in 2024, and what comes subsequent

LAS COLINAS, Texas — Jimmy Haslam confidently stepped by way of the halls of the Ritz-Carlton Las Colinas close to Dallas on a Wednesday in December, unhurried however with function.

The 70-year-old Cleveland Browns proprietor wore orangish-brown slacks with an off-white blazer, a folder curled in his proper hand, the contents of that are reserved for NFL billionaires. The league’s house owners conferences had simply adjourned. Between greetings to the reporters and league officers scattered within the resort hallways, Haslam, nonetheless on the transfer, was requested concerning the state of his staff.

He acknowledged the three-win Browns had loads of work to do. When requested what that work appeared like, he chuckled barely, an acknowledgement of the heavy raise forward.

“Yeah, I imply, I believe we’ve loads of wants as a staff,” the Browns proprietor informed ESPN. “We’ve to prioritize these. We went from 11-6 and making the playoffs to 3-10. So, it is a little bit perplexing precisely what occurred.”

Roughly 1,200 miles away on the Browns’ coaching facility in Berea, Ohio, coach Kevin Stefanski and normal supervisor Andrew Berry have been getting ready for that Sunday’s matchup with the NFL-leading Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, making an attempt to establish hope in a misplaced season and pondering a number of the similar questions Haslam cited. Stefanski and Berry will seemingly be on the forefront of an effort to show round one of many NFL’s storied however notoriously star-crossed franchises, shifting the group, now 3-13 headed right into a Saturday contest on the Ravens (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+), within the normal route of what can be its elusive first Tremendous Bowl.

In the meantime, close to his dwelling in Miami, injured quarterback Deshaun Watson rehabbed the surgically repaired torn proper Achilles that ended his season Oct. 20. No prognosis of what has gone incorrect in Cleveland, and no prescription for fixing it, can ignore Watson’s presence within the matter. It was Haslam who signed Watson to a completely assured five-year, $230 million contract in 2022. It’s Stefanski and Berry who’ve been charged with turning that funding into profitable soccer, however principally they’ve needed to work round it. Watson’s three seasons in Cleveland have been beset by suspension, damage and poor play in practically equal measure. He has missed 32 out of 51 doable regular-season video games with Cleveland and 49 of a doable 68 video games total since 2021.

Haslam, Stefanski and Berry should confront that previous as they lay out a plan for the Browns’ future. The majority of the work Haslam referenced as he negotiated that Ritz-Carlton hallway remains to be forward. And an important objects on the record will come within the type of essential selections.

THE BROWNS’ 2024 fall from grace was precipitous. Hindsight suggests it was additionally preventable.

It was one yr in the past that Cleveland was among the many NFL’s feel-good tales, with Joe Flacco the unlikely 38-year-old face of a resurgence after the Browns signed him off the road in November. With Watson misplaced for the season to a shoulder damage, Flacco supplied the steadying hand the Browns wanted throughout a 4-1 end that landed them within the playoffs, a complement to the NFL’s No. 1 protection led by Defensive Participant of the Yr Myles Garrett. The Browns misplaced within the playoffs to the Texans however appeared like a viable postseason contender for 2024 if they might determine the QB room and play to the strengths of the offense.

They could not.

With Watson set to return, the staff opted to not deliver Flacco again in free company. A part of the choice was calculated roster-building — the Browns anticipate to obtain a sixth-round decide as compensation for Flacco’s signing with the Indianapolis Colts. However Flacco had turn out to be a fan favourite, and one supply with information of Cleveland’s pondering believed that having Flacco maintain the clipboard would have been a bone of native rivalry each time Watson missed a learn or a receiver.

“I 100% imagine that was an element, the necessity to not have him hanging over Watson as he constructed his confidence,” the supply mentioned.

A entrance workplace supply denied this notion, saying the transfer away from Flacco was solely a soccer choice.

As an alternative, Cleveland signed free brokers Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley (Huntley can be lower in August) — unquestioned backups with no historical past sporting brown and orange — and introduced again Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round 2023 draft selection it believed had promise. In Winston, the Browns acquired 9 years youthful and about $500,000 cheaper on the backup quarterback spot. Winston expressed his eagerness to help Watson, about whom the staff was assured coming into his third season in Cleveland.

Amid the QB shuffle, one other essential change obtained much less nationwide consideration — the swap from offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to Ken Dorsey, a transfer that was curious to folks contained in the constructing and out.

The Browns have been a good tenth in factors and sixteenth in yards in 2023, and Van Pelt’s offense had moved the ball successfully regardless of inconsistent quarterback play and season-ending accidents to Watson and operating again Nick Chubb.

“That was head-scratching to me,” an ex-Stefanski aide mentioned. “That they had a system that labored whatever the quarterback and had received greater than Cleveland had in a very long time. For issues to out of the blue change, that does not strike me as one thing he would need.”

A number of Browns gamers informed ESPN they have been stunned by the choice to half methods with Van Pelt, which got here 4 days after their season led to Houston, whereas conceding the conventional nature of NFL workers turnover from yr to yr.

Van Pelt, who served as Browns OC from 2020 to 2023, had been in lockstep with Stefanski’s rules. The Cleveland offense was generally known as a run-efficient, play-action assault powered by legendary O-line coach Invoice Callahan’s gap-scheme runs — and had allowed the Browns to have success even with an unstable quarterback state of affairs.

However the identical sources who have been puzzled by the transfer from Van Pelt to Dorsey additionally knew why Stefanski made it: To maximise Watson, who may run Stefanski’s system however did not excel at it. Watson’s finest years got here in Houston with a spread-it-out assault that consisted of shotgun formations and run-pass choice performs — calling playing cards of a Dorsey offense. Callahan’s departure to affix his son Brian’s workers in Tennessee introduced extra change to the group.

The adjustments didn’t deliver out the very best in Watson or the Cleveland offense, which appeared caught between two worlds. Watson struggled mightily because the season started, lacking open targets and looking out uncomfortable within the pocket. The Browns by no means reached 20 factors in Watson’s seven 2024 begins — all video games by which Stefanski, not Dorsey, known as the performs — and the quarterback was final in QBR (23.5) by a large margin, wanting up on the Titans’ Will Levis (27.0) on the backside.

As guard Joel Bitonio noticed it, the Browns have been implementing a Dorsey passing recreation — together with extra no-huddle offense — whereas sustaining a few of Stefanski’s core operating ideas for the returning offensive linemen, and even including some Eagles run-game rules introduced in by assistant offensive line coach Roy Istvan, beforehand with Philadelphia.

“We have been scuffling with our identification,” Bitonio mentioned. “The gamers weren’t executing what was known as. We hadn’t actually figured it out.”

“I nonetheless query the match between Deshaun and Stefanski,” an NFL scouting director mentioned. “He does not throw with rhythm, on time. And Cleveland, taking part in in these situations, it wants a gentle run recreation, not a spread-it-out assault.”

A staff supply pushed again on that barely, calling it “a little bit too pronounced” to imagine Watson cannot function Stefanski’s play-action or Stefanski cannot adapt to Watson. It is doable Watson can run Stefanski’s model — there have been flashes like a 2023 win at Baltimore when it has appeared as if he may — it is simply not his sturdy go well with.

When Winston took over as QB1 with Watson misplaced for the 2024 season to the Achilles damage and the Browns sitting at 1-6, Stefanski relinquished playcalling to Dorsey. This prompted Winston to method Stefanski with questions, in line with a participant supply. Winston had signed with the Browns partially due to his eagerness to run Stefanski’s offense, believing his power lay with play-action and under-center work. Stefanski, the supply recalled, was understanding of Winston’s considerations and informed him to belief the workers’s capability to maximise his ability set and retain parts with which he was snug.

No huge announcement was made to the staff or offense relating to the playcaller change, in line with a number of participant sources. One participant came upon when Stefanski was requested throughout a midweek information convention. One other observed when the week of preparation started and Dorsey was the one calling performs.

The change wasn’t met with any sturdy detrimental emotions, in line with a number of gamers, with one characterizing the playcaller shift because the pure order of issues for a struggling offense. One other participant supply thought the change would result in a extra aggressive method from Dorsey, who has usually been extra pass-happy as a playcaller.

“We thought we have been about to eat,” the supply mentioned. “We’ve a very good playbook.”

No matter Winston’s preliminary reservations, the Winston-Dorsey marriage introduced some enchancment in Cleveland. Opposing coordinators say Dorsey did a powerful job of slicing the sector in half to outline Winston’s reads so he may benefit from his arm. Dorsey’s offense additionally confirmed much less reliance on the two-TE units and play-action hole schemes that have been a Stefanski/Callahan staple. A Winston-authored upset of the first-place Steelers on a snowy Thursday evening in November was among the many staff’s few 2024 highlights.

However Winston was benched in December after throwing eight interceptions over a three-game stretch, prompting a change to Thompson-Robinson, who by way of two 2024 begins has not supplied a lot of a spark. Stefanski didn’t instantly decide to a beginning QB for Saturday’s finale, and he later mentioned each Thompson-Robinson and present third-stringer Bailey Zappe may see time.

The struggles on offense have affected the protection, which has been on the sector for 1,004 snaps by way of 16 video games — the precise quantity the 2023 protection performed over 17 video games. Group sources felt the protection, which suffered a number of key accidents within the entrance seven, tried to overcompensate for the failings of the offense and pressed in consequence. On particular groups, kicker Dustin Hopkins has adopted up a robust 2023 by lacking a league-high 9 kicks this season.

The season has raised extra questions than it has clarified, with the plans at quarterback that includes most prominently within the debate.

Ought to Stefanski revert to the scheme he feels most snug with in 2025, even when it isn’t the very best match for Watson? Ought to Dorsey, who was employed with the assumption he’d get essentially the most out of Watson, have a possibility to name the performs for Watson? How do Winston and Thompson-Robinson slot in, if in any respect?

These are the soccer questions, however they don’t seem to be the one questions the Browns should face, nor are they essentially the most troublesome questions. Can Watson regain his confidence? Is it doable for him to regain it in Cleveland?

Watson, who has visited Cleveland a number of occasions for the reason that damage for rehab checkups, has given the impression that he nonetheless very a lot needs to make it work with the Browns and assist deliver Cleveland a winner, a supply near the participant mentioned.

However what should occur to make sure he delivers?

“I believe the primary factor for him is getting full command of the offense and working it persistently,” the supply mentioned.

A CORNER HAD been turned on Nov. 12, 2023. Or so the Browns thought.

On the street, towards one of many league’s finest groups in a heated divisional recreation, Watson stood tall within the pocket to guide Cleveland to a 33-31 comeback victory over eventual AFC No. 1 seed Baltimore, finishing all 14 of his second-half makes an attempt for 134 yards and a landing.

The Browns, who had constructed a profitable roster round a quarterback who had but to take flight, flashed the large potential promised. There had been earlier glimpses, however this felt totally different.

“There was momentum internally and externally [for Watson] popping out of the Baltimore recreation,” a Browns personnel supply mentioned. “The nice what-if.”

The optimism lasted just a few hours. Watson harm his throwing shoulder through the comeback, on a 16-yard scramble late within the fourth quarter, and an MRI revealed a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his shoulder. He would miss the rest of the season.

Nothing has been the identical since that final play in Baltimore. Any imaginative and prescient of Watson revitalizing the Browns’ passing assault vaporized in 2024.

As Watson rehabs one other damage in Miami, greater than 1,200 miles away from his teammates, the remainder of the NFL world wonders the place he can be in eight months. Even when contemplating the problem of recovering from an Achilles tear — Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins each had substandard seasons in 2024 coming off the identical damage, although each are significantly older than the 29-year-old Watson — the bodily isn’t the chief concern for many league observers.

“If he is proper mentally, then he ought to have the ability to win a quarterback competitors in two days together with his athleticism and arm,” an NFL coordinator mentioned of Watson.

However the psychological piece is a variable that may’t be quantified, and maybe partially a byproduct of Watson’s lack of time on job on the recreation’s hardest place. When combining his Houston holdout, his 11-game suspension for violation of the league’s private conduct coverage and his accidents, Watson has been accessible for simply 19 regular-season video games since 2021.

Coaches and evaluators haven’t given up on Watson’s uncooked capability, and the previous first-round decide is seen as a tough employee and a very good teammate throughout the locker room. How he’s perceived off the sector is harder to sq..

Watson made nationwide headlines after greater than two dozen ladies accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct throughout therapeutic massage classes, resulting in his 2022 suspension. Whether or not it had extra to do together with his soccer or off-field previous, cheers have been audible at Huntington Financial institution Discipline when Watson lay injured on the turf in October, drawing a rebuke from a few of Watson’s teammates. He has but to win the help of many Cleveland followers who, past any ethical issues, usually view his $230 million contract as an albatross.

“I nonetheless assume he is tremendous gifted,” an NFL coordinator mentioned. “But it surely seems to be a neck-up difficulty, and with the non-public stuff, soccer has turn out to be secondary. You’ll be able to’t ignore the fan base. If they do not settle for him, he’ll by no means have an opportunity to enhance.”

Some within the constructing agree that Watson’s points are associated to confidence, and say even with 21 missed video games previously two seasons due to damage, the notion he has bodily deteriorated could be overblown.

“There’s nothing in his bodily ability set that means he cannot nonetheless be productive,” a staff supply mentioned.

Chopping Watson now would price the Browns $92 million in money and $119 million in useless wage cap if designated as a post-June 1 launch ($173 million if a pre-June 1 lower). The staff reworked Watson’s contract Dec. 27, including two void years to the deal, which permits Cleveland to push out his useless wage cap determine into 2030 when the wage cap will make its normal incremental enhance and the useless cap hit is not as pronounced. The transfer indicators Watson will seemingly be on the Browns roster in 2025 and probably 2026.

Extra void years or not, slicing Watson now would simply break league information set when the Broncos parted methods with Russell Wilson final yr. The Broncos paid all however $1 million of Wilson’s $39 million in 2024 ensures, together with planning round $53 million in useless cash. A number of league sources imagine that like with Wilson, no staff would tackle Watson’s contract in a commerce, even when closely discounted.

“Holding on simply due to the cash will solely extend the inevitable,” an NFL nationwide scout of the Browns’ QB choice. “You noticed what Denver did, and they’re doing OK. The Browns would simply have to try this on an even bigger scale.”

Browns staff sources acknowledge it’s protected to imagine Watson can be again with the staff in some capability in 2025, but additionally warning it is “too early” to make sweeping determinations. In addition they acknowledge Watson’s damage historical past “has to” be a consider its plan going ahead, and establishment within the quarterback room is not an choice given the tumult of this season. One staff supply mentioned “any veteran with starter’s expertise” can be evaluated by the Browns, together with present Atlanta Falcons backup Kirk Cousins, ought to he turn out to be accessible as anticipated. The supply conceded that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, thought of the highest free agent quarterback, may show too expensive, assuming he is even in the marketplace. However the aim is evident: Strengthen the quarterback room with the assets on the staff’s disposal.

The working concept leaguewide is the Browns hold Watson for yet one more yr and foster competitors with one other veteran and/or draft decide, tightening the partitions round Watson and forcing him to win the job. Group sources think about such a situation — Watson battling it out with one other vet for QB1 standing in camp — doable. The Browns even have a 93.2% probability of getting a top-5 decide in April’s draft.

“What do you say to your staff for those who deliver [Watson] again [to start]?” a veteran NFL participant agent mentioned. “My guess is that they take somebody very excessive within the draft.”

The staff will not rule out a Winston return, per staff sources. Thompson-Robinson, the starter in Weeks 16 and 17, may return as a backup. The free agent quarterback class contains Flacco, Wilson, Justin Fields, Jarrett Stidham, Carson Wentz, Andy Dalton and Jacoby Brissett, who was satisfactory as a starter for Cleveland in 2022. Bucs backup Kyle Trask, a former Day 2 decide, has been buried behind Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield on the Buccaneers’ depth chart for 4 years however is an intriguing expertise who may drive a market in March.

Some across the league have famous that Cousins, benched by the Falcons in Week 16, as soon as performed for Stefanski in Minnesota and may very well be accessible on a budget this offseason. Atlanta owes Cousins $27.5 million in ensures and is predicted to chop him earlier than a $10 million roster bonus is due in March. Cousins had one in every of his finest NFL seasons underneath Stefanski’s playcalling in 2019, with a 69.1 completion share and 26 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. Getting him for the league minimal and channeling a few of that pre-injury effectivity — whereas additionally probably drafting and creating a younger quarterback — may very well be a profitable technique for Cleveland.

“[The Browns] must go get their man,” an AFC govt mentioned. “If it is protected to imagine that Deshaun isn’t that, then there’s actually no different selection.”

AS RUMORS AND hypothesis swirled about Stefanski’s job safety earlier this season, a number of gamers publicly and privately expressed help for him. Two locker room sources mentioned Stefanski’s messaging has not grown stale regardless of the staff’s struggles. One famous how Stefanski’s willingness to relinquish playcalling duties was an instance of his flexibility and willingness to pore over the staff’s course of in the hunt for an answer. One other praised his “demeanor” in a troublesome season and famous “you won’t all the time know what he is pondering, however … he is so methodical.”

One mild criticism of Stefanski amongst just a few Browns gamers through the years had been that they won’t get to know him on a private stage like different coaches. Soul-baring is not precisely his factor, although one ex-Stefanski aide says the coach typically opts to offer the locker room its house, particularly throughout profitable occasions, as a method to hold the emphasis on participant relationships.

However gamers say Stefanski has proven a extra susceptible aspect this season, beginning throughout coaching camp at The Greenbrier resort. At an annual staff bonding train, designed to get a deeper understanding of a participant’s journey to the NFL, Stefanski participated for the primary time.

“He was going by way of quite a bit together with his finest buddy going by way of most cancers,” recalled Bitonio of Stefanski’s message. “However you do not know that. He talked about rising up together with his dad (former Sixers and Nets normal supervisor Ed Stefanski) within the NBA for some time. You noticed the emotion from the man who on a day-to-day foundation, you do not get that.”

Bitonio additionally famous a change this season, with Stefanski spending extra time within the offensive line assembly rooms over the previous two months than he had the previous 5 years, an indication of a person buying and selling a play sheet for dialog.

The connection between Stefanski and Berry is robust, with the 2 rising nearer as they’ve endured essentially the most making an attempt skilled season of their lives. The 2 meet every Thursday for a few half hour, a entrance workplace supply confirmed. Typically, they small-talk about children or life. Different occasions, they run by way of staffing, hypotheticals, big-ticket objects concerning the Browns — it is basically a venting session for the mind belief.

The franchise’s worst season for the reason that notorious 0-16 marketing campaign of 2017 has elicited loads of venting. This actuality at the least prompts a query, in mild of a shaky QB state of affairs and Stefanski’s cachet as a two-time NFL Coach of the Yr: Would he attempt to enter the teaching carousel and turn out to be a candidate with different groups? That will require a commerce, attributable to his latest contract extension. Business sources who’re requested this query usually lean towards no, that the curiosity would not be sturdy sufficient coming off a three- or four-win season throughout which Stefanski gave up playcalling for the primary time. And, in line with one staff supply, such a swap wouldn’t align together with his make-up.

“He likes difficult occasions,” a training supply mentioned of Stefanski. “Considered one of his strengths is character and management, and I believe he is leaned on that in a troublesome season.”

Regardless of the Browns’ lack of sustained profitable, the staff’s cornerstone defensive star Garrett expressed confidence within the Stefanski-Berry decision-making duo and restated his want to stay in Cleveland.

“We acquired these guys proper there main the cost organizationally,” Garrett mentioned. “Them being right here, wanting to select up the best items and play will give me confidence. So long as that is the way it’s wanting, how it’s, I need to be right here, and I will be glad to play for Cleveland.”

Garrett, although, added that he had no want for a rebuild and meant to talk with the staff’s decision-makers relating to their offseason plans — together with on the quarterback place. He has two years remaining on the five-year extension he signed in 2020, and if he signed a brand new take care of the Browns it may assist deliver Cleveland cap reduction. Garrett’s pro-continuity feedback have been interpreted by some as an ultimatum concerning the Browns’ route.

“As unsure as it’s from the surface wanting in, it is unsure for us as nicely,” Garrett mentioned. “So, if [Thompson-Robinson] is the answer or another person, it is acquired to be drawn out. There has acquired to be a plan of motion and simply acquired to know the place issues are going.”

Browns sources insist a tear-down rebuild isn’t coming, and so they be aware Berry, who declined to be interviewed for this story, is a measured but aggressive normal supervisor, which has traditionally yielded loads of offseason exercise. Defensive deal with Dalvin Tomlinson, proper deal with Jack Conklin, tight finish Austin Hooper and security John Johnson III have been among the many highest-paid free brokers at their positions within the years that Berry signed them. Trades for large receiver Amari Cooper, large receiver Jerry Jeudy and defensive finish Za’Darius Smith have been notable. The Browns can be “opportunistic” in bettering the roster this offseason as nicely, a personnel supply mentioned.

Internally, the Browns think about this offseason a pivot yr, with eight big-money contracts — together with tight finish David Njoku, Tomlinson, Conklin and fellow offensive lineman Wyatt Teller — reaching the non-guaranteed stage in 2025. The Browns are additionally set to make 11 picks within the 2025 draft, together with their first first-round decide since 2021, which is able to land at No. 3 or larger with a loss to the Ravens.

“We’ve loads of flexibility,” a entrance workplace supply mentioned. “We’ll be positive from a cap standpoint. That is the very last thing I am fearful about.”

That sentiment comes regardless of the immovable hurdle that’s Watson’s contract, with its $72.9 million cap hit. One other restructure, which converts the $46 million 2025 wage to a bonus and unfold over a number of years, may give Cleveland extra respiratory room. The Browns anticipate the wage cap will land someplace between $277 million and $280 million.

No matter his viewpoint on Watson, Haslam is predicted to remain the course with Stefanski and Berry. He has thousands and thousands of causes to try this primarily based on the contract extensions he gave them each practically seven months in the past. Stefanski and Berry have been collectively 5 seasons, longer than any tandem since Haslam bought the staff in 2012, and that continuity, together with two playoff berths, is one thing that a number of trade sources imagine Haslam nonetheless values.

Haslam, who has battled labels in league circles as a meddling proprietor, has made obvious makes an attempt at persistence. He informed ESPN from December’s house owners conferences that he has discovered “to not get too emotional through the season” and make all future issues as soon as the yr concludes. Group sources mentioned Haslam has been much less impulsive this season than in years previous. An absence of sweeping adjustments would reinforce that. A number of ex-Browns workers members from previous seasons informed ESPN they imagine Haslam had a direct affect on why they have been let go, however staff sources keep the picture of Haslam as a puppet grasp is inaccurate and he’s “very receptive” to concepts that assist the Browns win so long as they’re thought-out and well-researched.

In late July at The Greenbrier resort, making his first public feedback for the reason that Stefanski and Berry extensions, Haslam mentioned there was a “probably very excessive ceiling for each of them.” Requested about his expectations for the season, Haslam mentioned he felt assured concerning the staff’s basis however famous that “issues occur.”

Within the face of one other season with double-digit losses, the proprietor should now think about what issues must occur subsequent.