On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns announced the departure of three offensive assistants. It may surprise some, but there were residual offensive issues that indicated improvements were required.
With the number of injuries the Cleveland Browns had this season, it was almost surprising that the team won 11 games, but head coach Kevin Stefanski decided it was time to make changes to his offensive staff as the team prepares for 2024. The distressing circumstances highlighted some of the team’s offensive issues and provided the Browns with an opportunity to locate the best coaches to teach the offense that the organization intended to run in the future.
This is not the moment to spike the football and celebrate the departure of assistant coaches. Over the last four years, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell, and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney have all contributed to the organization’s success. Helping them reach the postseason twice and win their first playoff game since 1994. Even while the team works to improve, men who helped pave the path have lost their positions. That is a terrible feature of the industry. And as the Browns work to become a more consistent organization, this is how things could unfold.
They will lose players to other organizations, as was the case last year with Drew Petzing and Israel Woolfolk, who were hired by the Arizona Cardinals. Petzing took over as offensive coordinator, and Woolfolk was named quarterbacks coach.
The Browns must find the appropriate concepts to fit their players, which includes not only the offensive line and backs, but also Watson. They must properly integrate their run concepts with the play-action game and overall passing game. Much of this boils down to modernization, which will cause the most challenges for current defenses.
The Browns offense wasn’t quite stagnant, but they didn’t want to wait until it was time to make a move. It has proven beneficial, but this season demonstrated how reliant the club was on Nick Chubb. And, while Chubb may be returning, this is an opportunity to not just maximize his potential, but also prepare for life without him.
Meanwhile, the Browns have employed little pre-snap motion this season. In fact, ESPN Stats and Info ranked them 31st among teams in terms of motion utilization.
The Browns struggled to deal with the Houston Texans’ pre-snap movement. It was a consistent problem throughout the season. It not only helps the quarterback uncover the opponent’s coverage, but it may also aid create yardage opportunities. Specifically, numbers, angles, and grass.
Too much mobility might be problematic for offensive protection. That may explain why the Browns pulled back in an attempt to protect their tackles, but it must become a much larger part of their offense for next season. Still, this provides an opportunity for the Browns to find new ways to frustrate rival defenses.
Perhaps the most important aspect that some may be missing is the landscape of the AFC North, which saw all four teams finish above.500 this season. Todd Monken and Mike MacDonald, the Baltimore Ravens’ coordinators, are the best in the division. As someone who predicted the Ravens would finish last this season, expecting the offense to take some time to gel and the defense to be in disarray at both corner and edge, I have to eat it. They deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve accomplished, which is why they’re the AFC’s top pick to win the Super Bowl.
The Ravens offense was not poor under the former offensive coordinator, Greg Roman. Their head coach, John Harbaugh, decided that the offense needed to change direction to best serve the talent they had. The Ravens could lose before reaching the Super Bowl, but this squad appears to be the most prepared since winning it in 2012.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for an offensive coordinator. It will be difficult for them to perform worse than they have in previous seasons. They have the opportunity to make big improvements. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals are desperately attempting to retain their current staff together as coaches are being interviewed for head coaching positions, which the Browns have not had to deal with. That alone may be reason enough for the Browns to look inward.
The Browns aren’t willing to sit back, assuming that simply getting healthy and adding to their roster would be enough to mount a championship run next year. Kevin Stefanski wants to win the division and is searching for any way to improve. To him, one option to improve the team’s chances is to get back into the coaching arms race.
Last year, the Browns hired Jim Schwartz to lead the defense and, a few weeks later, Bubba Ventrone to handle special teams. In 2023, both groups outperformed previous seasons, assisting the Browns in reaching the playoffs. They, like the offense, will be tasked with identifying methods for the squad to improve in 2024. If they can make similar gains on the offensive side of the ball, the Browns have a chance to be a contender next season.
Players may be unhappy to see coaches they respect and admire leave the organization, but if Stefanski picks competent replacements, they will be optimistic about the team’s future. It also sends a clear message that the Browns have high standards and a sense of urgency, demonstrating Stefanski’s willingness to push himself just as hard as he does everyone else.
Kevin Stefanski knows the Browns’ chance and is not taking it for granted. He will be evaluated based on the performance of these new personnel, but it is tough to fault him for this shift in direction, even if it was not an easy decision to make.
Report: Browns to Interview Seahawks OL Coach Andy Dickerson for OC Position.
The Cleveland Browns are reportedly going to interview Andy Dickerson, the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line coach, for the post of offensive coordinator.
The Cleveland Browns have already started interviewing individuals for some of their open coaching positions. On Wednesday, the Browns allegedly spoke with Duce Staley, former Carolina Panthers assistant head coach. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Browns will interview Andy Dickerson, the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line coach, for the post of offensive coordinator.
Dickerson received appreciation for his efforts with the Seahawks. As the run game coordinator in 2021, the Seahawks finished the season with 5.02 yards per attempt, ranking third in the NFL. Dickerson oversaw the transition to rookie offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas in 2022, a year when quarterback Geno Smith made it to the Pro Bowl.
The Browns’ running game underperformed this season. The appeal of someone like Dickerson appears to be that he can assist the Browns construct a rushing attack that is more appropriate for the team’s potential and complements the play-action passing game. Dickerson has never been an offensive coordinator, therefore he is unlikely to be given play calling duties. If Dickerson is hired, Kevin Stefanski will continue to be the team’s play caller.
Dickerson is from Wilmington, Delaware, and played offensive line at Tufts University from 1999 to 2002.
If Dickerson is representative of the offensive coordinator candidates the Browns will interview, Stefanski intends to call plays for the Browns. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given that he’s done it all four years as head coach of the Browns, but the Browns may still interview applicants who want to call plays.
It’s also likely that, with Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan auditioning for head coaching jobs, the Browns are interviewing Dickerson in case their current offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, leaves to coach alongside his son. Scott Peters, Callahan’s assistant offensive line coach, is also well-regarded by the Browns.
Predicting the Cleveland Browns 2024 roster.
Predicting the Cleveland Browns week one 53-man roster for the 2024 NFL season, including who is a lock to make Andrew Berry’s team and who is on the bubble.
In this post, we’ll look at Andrew Berry’s full offseason and how it’s likely to play out for the Cleveland Browns. This article will be updated throughout the season as moves are made, making it an excellent resource to bookmark and revisit.
We’ll start by looking at who they currently have under contract for each position category, as well as what they’ve done in the past, to decide who is most likely to make the 53-man roster for Week 1.
There will be competition across the roster for who makes the final team, which is great because it will bring out the best in the players, and if someone gets injured, there will be a strong player to fill the void rather than a huge hole in the team. Last season, every position room had an extra player other than running back, which appears to be Andrew Berry’s mentality.
Below is the current Cleveland Browns roster and their contract status:
Guarantees – This category includes any player with at least one guaranteed dollar on their 2024 deal; I will break down each player’s contract in this post. Except for Njoku, all of these players are guaranteed to return without being traded, according to the terms of their contracts.
No guarantees – These players will have no financial security next season. Several players will receive roster bonuses within the first three days of the 2024 league year, forcing the organization to make early judgments about whether to maintain them.
Free Agents – The NFL has several sorts of free agents:
Unrestricted free agent – these players have four or more years of accumulated seasons, meaning they can join with whichever team they desire, and the only control a previous team has on them is a franchise or transition tag.
Restricted Free Agent – These are usually undrafted free agents who have fulfilled their seasons of contract and then get paid extra in the final year.
Exclusive Right Free Agent – they have less than three seasons and can be kept around on the league minimum; the player’s only other option is to retire.
Practice squad players are not listed because they are free to sign with anyone after the season. While many will return, this cannot be assumed. Over the next few days, numerous players will sign futures contracts with the Cleveland Browns. These are minimum salary contracts that will keep them with the team through the 2024 season.
How many of each position?
Before we look at who is most likely to make the final 53-man roster, we should consider how Andrew Berry has developed his roster over the last four seasons, as this will provide insight into how he operates.
The week one roster is listed below, as there is always some movement between what we see in the first 53-player cut and the roster as it sits during week one. That is because they may carry a player into the 53-man roster before placing them on injured reserve so they can be activated later in the season. It’s possible they see another player cut somewhere and want to add them to the club since they’re more talented.
READ MORE…….
