Browns QB Situation - Article

[Deebo]

Interesting stuff here


With Watson set to return, the team opted not to bring Flacco back in free agency. Part of the decision was calculated roster-building -- the Browns expect to receive a sixth-round pick as compensation for Flacco's signing with the Indianapolis Colts. But Flacco had become a fan favorite, and one source with knowledge of Cleveland's thinking believed that having Flacco hold the clipboard would have been a bone of local contention every time Watson missed a read or a receiver.

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"I 100% believe that was a factor, the need to not have him hanging over Watson as he built his confidence," the source said.

A front office source denied this notion, saying the move away from Flacco was solely a football decision.

Instead, Cleveland signed free agents Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley (Huntley would be cut in August) -- unquestioned backups with no history wearing brown and orange -- and brought back Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round 2023 draft choice it believed had promise. In Winston, the Browns got nine years younger and about $500,000 cheaper at the backup quarterback spot. Winston expressed his eagerness to support Watson, about whom the team was confident entering his third season in Cleveland.

Amid the QB shuffle, another critical change received less national attention -- the switch from offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to Ken Dorsey, a move that was curious to people inside the building and out.

The Browns were a respectable 10th in points and 16th in yards in 2023, and Van Pelt's offense had moved the ball effectively despite inconsistent quarterback play and season-ending injuries to Watson and running back Nick Chubb.

"That was head-scratching to me," an ex-Stefanski aide said. "They had a system that worked regardless of the quarterback and had won more than Cleveland had in a long time. For things to suddenly change, that doesn't strike me as something he would want."

Multiple Browns players told ESPN they were surprised by the decision to part ways with Van Pelt, which came four days after their season ended in Houston, while conceding the normal nature of NFL staff turnover from year to year.

Van Pelt, who served as Browns OC from 2020 to 2023, had been in lockstep with Stefanski's principles. The Cleveland offense was known as a run-efficient, play-action attack powered by legendary O-line coach Bill Callahan's gap-scheme runs -- and had allowed the Browns to have success even with an unstable quarterback situation.


Stefanski and Van Pelt (left) were viewed as having a common vision, which is why the OC change was a surprise. Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
But the same sources who were puzzled by the move from Van Pelt to Dorsey also knew why Stefanski made it: To maximize Watson, who could run Stefanski's system but didn't excel at it. Watson's best years came in Houston with a spread-it-out attack that consisted of shotgun formations and run-pass option plays -- calling cards of a Dorsey offense. Callahan's departure to join his son Brian's staff in Tennessee brought more change to the group.

The changes did not bring out the best in Watson or the Cleveland offense, which looked caught between two worlds. Watson struggled mightily as the season began, missing open targets and looking uncomfortable in the pocket. The Browns never reached 20 points in Watson's seven 2024 starts -- all games in which Stefanski, not Dorsey, called the plays -- and the quarterback was last in QBR (23.5) by a wide margin, looking up at the Titans' Will Levis (27.0) at the bottom.


Full article
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/432 ... mmy-haslam

[K_C_]

With Watson likely going to miss all of 2025 with this new setback in rehabbing his achilles injury, the Browns will most definitely take either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders at the top of the draft.

I predict they will also sign a veteran QB who has the ability to start right away (Justin Fields anybody?) until Ward or Sanders is ready to roll.

[StillerDownSouth]

With Watson likely going to miss all of 2025 with this new setback in rehabbing his achilles injury, the Browns will most definitely take either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders at the top of the draft.

I predict they will also sign a veteran QB who has the ability to start right away (Justin Fields anybody?) until Ward or Sanders is ready to roll.

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

[K_C_]

With Watson likely going to miss all of 2025 with this new setback in rehabbing his achilles injury, the Browns will most definitely take either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders at the top of the draft.

I predict they will also sign a veteran QB who has the ability to start right away (Justin Fields anybody?) until Ward or Sanders is ready to roll.

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

There are only a handful of teams looking for a starting QB and with Bryce Young improving, you can likely remove the Panthers from the list. Putting together a realistic list, you mainly have awful organizations like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, Giants and Browns. The Steelers might want to move on from Russ but they don’t have the draft capital to move up to get Deion’s kid.

I’m not exactly sure Deion can force a team to trade for his kid because most of the top tier teams already have their guy.

[anpsteel]

With Watson likely going to miss all of 2025 with this new setback in rehabbing his achilles injury, the Browns will most definitely take either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders at the top of the draft.

I predict they will also sign a veteran QB who has the ability to start right away (Justin Fields anybody?) until Ward or Sanders is ready to roll.

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

There are only a handful of teams looking for a starting QB and with Bryce Young improving, you can likely remove the Panthers from the list. Putting together a realistic list, you mainly have awful organizations like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, Giants and Browns. The Steelers might want to move on from Russ but they don’t have the draft capital to move up to get Deion’s kid.

I’m not exactly sure Deion can force a team to trade for his kid because most of the top tier teams already have their guy.

Zero chance this organization drafts anyone that has anything to do with Meion

[Deebo]

With Watson likely going to miss all of 2025 with this new setback in rehabbing his achilles injury, the Browns will most definitely take either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders at the top of the draft.

I predict they will also sign a veteran QB who has the ability to start right away (Justin Fields anybody?) until Ward or Sanders is ready to roll.

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

There are only a handful of teams looking for a starting QB and with Bryce Young improving, you can likely remove the Panthers from the list. Putting together a realistic list, you mainly have awful organizations like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, Giants and Browns. The Steelers might want to move on from Russ but they don’t have the draft capital to move up to get Deion’s kid.

I’m not exactly sure Deion can force a team to trade for his kid because most of the top tier teams already have their guy.

If Flacco comes back for another year, I suspect he'll land in Carolina

[K_C_]

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

There are only a handful of teams looking for a starting QB and with Bryce Young improving, you can likely remove the Panthers from the list. Putting together a realistic list, you mainly have awful organizations like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, Giants and Browns. The Steelers might want to move on from Russ but they don’t have the draft capital to move up to get Deion’s kid.

I’m not exactly sure Deion can force a team to trade for his kid because most of the top tier teams already have their guy.

If Flacco comes back for another year, I suspect he'll land in Carolina

Bryce Young has quietly improved quite a bit (that shoot out with Penix Jr. the last game of the year was pretty spectacular) and I seriously doubt Carolina is ready to bail on Young just as the game seems to have really slowed down for him.

Also Carolina is projected to pick 8th. No fucking way on earth Sanders, who is one helluva QB prospect, is still going to be sitting there at 8.

Carolina is going to build around Young and that's probably the right thing to do. That kid needs a lot of help.

[K_C_]

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

There are only a handful of teams looking for a starting QB and with Bryce Young improving, you can likely remove the Panthers from the list. Putting together a realistic list, you mainly have awful organizations like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, Giants and Browns. The Steelers might want to move on from Russ but they don’t have the draft capital to move up to get Deion’s kid.

I’m not exactly sure Deion can force a team to trade for his kid because most of the top tier teams already have their guy.

Zero chance this organization drafts anyone that has anything to do with Meion

The Steelers won't have to worry about having any involvement in where Shadeur Sanders ends up.

He'll be long gone before the Steelers pick and even if the Steelers were interested in that kid, they would have to give up their next 3 first rounders and probably more than that to have a chance to select him.

Dude's gonna go real high.

[gojira5150]

With Watson likely going to miss all of 2025 with this new setback in rehabbing his achilles injury, the Browns will most definitely take either Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders at the top of the draft.

I predict they will also sign a veteran QB who has the ability to start right away (Justin Fields anybody?) until Ward or Sanders is ready to roll.

I don't think there is any way Deion lets his son go to Cleveland, he will pull a Manning.

There are only a handful of teams looking for a starting QB and with Bryce Young improving, you can likely remove the Panthers from the list. Putting together a realistic list, you mainly have awful organizations like the Jets, Raiders, Titans, Giants and Browns. The Steelers might want to move on from Russ but they don’t have the draft capital to move up to get Deion’s kid.

I’m not exactly sure Deion can force a team to trade for his kid because most of the top tier teams already have their guy.

The dumbass Faiders had the 1st pick what 4 weeks ago. If they could have teamed up Sanders or Ward with Bowers, watch out.

[Pabst]

Interesting stuff here

Full article
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/432 ... mmy-haslam

The common denominator in all of the Browns' struggles over the past decade (and more) has been Jimmy Haslem.


I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland trade out of the #2 pick. It's not really a matter of whether Ward/Sanders/whoever is worth the pick, the problem is that the Browns have backed themselves into such a corner that they won't be able to build a roster around their new QB.

[CKSteeler]

I said at the time they did it that the trade for Watson would get the whole Browns regime fired and...we are well on our way to that. Shame for the Browns because they were showing promise for the first time in so long, but that one move doomed everything they were building. But Browns gunna Brown.

[Deebo]

Interesting stuff here

Full article
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/432 ... mmy-haslam

The common denominator in all of the Browns' struggles over the past decade (and more) has been Jimmy Haslem.


I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Cleveland trade out of the #2 pick. It's not really a matter of whether Ward/Sanders/whoever is worth the pick, the problem is that the Browns have backed themselves into such a corner that they won't be able to build a roster around their new QB.

You mean the guy who skimmed credit cards and should have been thrown in jail for the corporate crimes he committed isn't a good leader nor judge of character? I am shocked at these turn of events

[Pabst]

You mean the guy who skimmed credit cards and should have been thrown in jail for the corporate crimes he committed isn't a good leader nor judge of character? I am shocked at these turn of events

Anecdotally, there's a guy I work with that formerly worked in the UT athletic office. Apparently Haslem is not a well liked individual over there. His meddling in football affairs is not limited to the Browns.