If Jim Schwartz Leaves, Will Myles Garrett Follow?

 

If Jim Schwartz leaves, why would Myles Garrett stay?

Nothing like a good conspiracy theory.   Check this one out. 

1.  The Browns are the most quarterback-fixated team in the NFL. 

2. Jimmy Haslam has loved the Manning family since Peyton played for Tennessee, which is the college strongly supported by the Haslam family. 

3.  JH3 and the Browns wish to change to a high flying passing team behind Arch Manning, and therefore are willing to tank the season. 

4. The Browns need an acceptable reason to dismantle the defense which might win too many games to get them the first overall pick in the 2027 draft. 

5.  They could trade Myles Garrett for draft capital in 2027 in case they need it, but they will probably finish last anyway.  They need to rebuild the offensive line and acquire wide receivers. 

6.  They need to rebuild the salary cap structure of the team which is still reeling from the huge Deshaun Watson deal as well as $80 million dollars worth of "Voidable Years" money that will come due in the next two years.*

7.  If they hire someone like Todd Monken, they can get Myles Garrett to agree to be traded for a few high round picks that will help them rebuild the offense for Arch Manning.  

This is very similar to what they did in 2016-2017 when they actually overdid it and went 1-31.  Their goal in 2026 and 2027 is to put as many offensive pieces in place as possible for Arch, or another quarterback of comparable ability.  2027 is supposed to be a great year for quarterbacks.  

*Voidable years means that bonus money is spread out for up to five years even for contracts that are fewer than five years in duration.  When that contract ends, the remaining bonus money is immediately charged to that fiscal year.  So, say you give a player a $50 million bonus over 5 years, but the contract is only for two years.  Year 1 gets charged $10 million, year $2 is also $10 million, but if you do not re-sign the player $30 million gets charged to the cap in Year 3 unless they resign the player to a new contract and reset the clock.  This is a time bomb!  The Browns have $80 million dollars waiting to bite them in the next two years, on top of Deshaun Watson's $130 million.   Wow!!!!

Why the Browns are Hiring Todd Monken

 

Todd Monken was Offensive Coordinator for the Browns in 2019.  

BREAKING NEWS:  The Browns are hiring Todd Monken.  How about that?   I wrote this article the day before Monken was hired.  I think there are legitimate reasons why he is an interesting person for the Browns, but not sure that they should have actually hired him over Jim Schwartz.  

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We hear that the Browns have interviewed Todd Monken for the second time.  For the Browns, that is a serious relationship.  Why?  He is currently the OC for the arch-rival Baltimore Ravens, and rumor has it that he does not get along with Lamar Jackson.  That is a serious problem if it's true. 

So why are the Browns interested? 

Let's think back to the 2019 season when he was the OC at Cleveland.  He ran a two-back offense with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt (who was suspended the first eight games of the season) and cameo appearances by Dontrell Hilliard and D'Ernest Johnson.  There were only two wide receivers in Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry.  The lack of a tight end really hurt, as David Njoku wound up in Coach Freddie Kitchens' doghouse and was scarcely used (long story short, that was on Freddie.  We know now that Njoku developed into a Pro Bowl tight end, but Freddie could not figure that out).  In the two back system, both backs were receiving threats but could also run the ball.  That was fun to watch.   

Meanwhile, do you remember when the Browns had Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson?  Well, in 2019, they played with Deshaun Watson in a two back system after being traded to Houston (the Browns love to trade with Houston).  Damn if Hyde didn't gain 1112 yards from scrimmage, with Johnson adding 820 yards more.  Watson threw for 3852 yards that year, including 767 yards to tight ends.  You might pass out if I remind you that one of their tight ends was Darren Fells, who played for Cleveland the previous year. Cleveland rejects accounted for 2699 yards that season, but the larger point is that Deshaun Watson was great in a two back system, and the Cleveland Browns have two running backs in 2026, and Todd Monken knows how to run a two-back offense in the NFL.  

The Texans' offense was largely based on the triple option:  Most plays would start with play action or Run/Pass Option.  If Deshaun keeps the ball, he rolls out like Baker Mayfield and can throw a screen to either of two backs, or look downfield, or else he can take off and run for the sideline.  The disadvantage is that he probably got hit as often as Lamar Jackson.  With two ACLs and a twice-torn Achilles tendon in his resume, he probably should not roll out as often as he used to. 

Nevertheless, the two back offense and ball control style worked well for him at Houston. Watson's career in Cleveland was soured by his misadventures in his personal life and his bad contract, which caused the Dawg Pound to be skeptical from the get-go.  Moreover, as a competitor, he wanted to earn his gigantic contract and change his style of play to out-do Josh Allen.  Hence the Browns hired ex-Bills coordinator Ken Dorsey and tried to install a Bills-style deep passing offense. That was a failure.  

Nevertheless, Watson was once a 4000-yard quarterback, and it makes sense to stop trying to convert him into Josh Allen and go back to what worked in the past.   Watson was great in a two back system, and the Browns have Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson.  

Under Monken, the Ravens had everyone running the ball, starting with quarterback Lamar Jackson, but they also had Derrick Henry toting the rock, often with monstrous fullback Patrick Ricard in the backfield at the same time, all 305 pounds of him.  Change-of-pace backs Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill found time to combine for 666 yards from scrimmage.  The Ravens' hot dog vendors can also run the football if called upon.  

The Browns would be helped immensely by making better use of their ground game.  It would take pressure off "Pro Bowler" Shedeur Sanders if the Browns had a more balanced offense.  This news flash just in: the Browns are a cold weather, natural turf team. They should pound the rock and win the second half against worn-out defenses.  They keep on thinking they are a warm weather, synthetic turf team that should feature four and five receiver sets.  Maybe someday they will have a domed stadium, but that time is not yet.  Till that happens, let's remember who we are:  the Browns are Marion Motley, Jim Brown, Leroy Kelly, Greg Pruitt, Earnest Byner, Kevin Mack, Peyton Hillis, and Nick Chubb. I don't see any reason why Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson cannot join this group.

Browns Should Interview Ashton Grant of the Patriots

 

Ashton Grant is currently on the Patriots' staff working for Mike Vrabel, but prior to that was on the Browns's staff as an Offensive Assistant for Quarterbacks. 

What about a young quarterback coach that worked with Mike Vrabel and Jameis Winston in Cleveland and in New England under Vrabel as his Quarterbacks Coach? Plus, if you feel like he is not quite ready to be Head Coach, you could make him an offer to be the Offensive Coordinator. Ashton Grant is the young Coach I'm talking about.  Remember that name.  Remember also that these hotshot offensive coordinators from other teams are not eligible to jump ship and join the Browns unless they are promoted.  However Grant could join the Browns as either Head Coach OR Offensive Coordinator, and he also complies with the all-important Rooney Rule for minority interviews.  

You might as well also accept the fact the Browns get last choice anyway because candidates are turned off by the disastrous salary cap situation and the automatic quarterback controversy generated by Shedeur Sanders. 

The next person who says "Controversy? What controversy?" gets a pie in the face. Sanders can not help who his father is, but you might as well accept that that 50% of the fan base loves him and 50% hates him and that is not going to change.  The new Head Coach will have to navigate that automatic controversy. It's not an ideal situation in Cleveland.  Then there is the minor issue of a fellow named Deshaun who is still on the roster and is owed $130 million dollars.                                                                                                                         

The master plan of complying with the Rooney Rule by interviewing two and only two candidates--Mike McDaniel and Nate Scheelhaase--blew up on two counts. McDaniel turned them down before interviewing and Scheelhaase cannot be interviewed until after his team is out of the playoffs.  Even then, how do you know he won't get hired by another team before interviewing with the Browns?   As of Jan 24, zero Rooney-compliant interviews means the Browns cannot hire a Coach.  

Like Scheelhaase, Ashton Grant cannot be interviewed until his team is no longer in the playoffs.  That may be okay once you accept that the Browns are going to select last anyway.  Grant did a great job for the 2024 Browns, working with Jameis Winston on an otherwise poor offensive team with a weak offensive line and no running game. Nevertheless, Winston had some impressive games.  Grant must be given some credit for that. Winston's mental lapses which resulted in interceptions are not the result of coaching.  

Grant definitely impressed Mike Vrabel, who you will recall was on the Browns' staff that year.  Vrabel took Grant with him to New England and Drake Maye has responded with an outstanding year.  

Thus, Grant knows the Stefanski Offense as well as the Vrabel Offense with Josh McDaniel as the Offensive Coordinator.

Other candidates who are already OC's on other team such as  Scheelhaase or Grant Udinski of the Jags, are not eligible to laterally transfer to the Browns as OC, but can only change teams if it is a promotion to Head Coach. 

So, the Browns should at least interview Grant, maybe hire him as Head Coach, but he is also eligible to be hired as Offensive Coordinator for the Browns. 

Cleveland May Have Botched the Rooney Rule

 

When asked to count to two, Mr. Haslam held up only one thumb, indicating a lack of fundamental understanding of mathematics. 

The Cleveland Browns cannot hire a coach.  At all.  The reason is that they have not complied with the Rooney Rule, which requires the team to interview two (2) black or minority candidates from outside the organization.  Currently their total stands at zero, with one interview scheduled. Let's see, is one equal to or greater than two?  No it is not, Mr. Haslam.  One is fewer than two, and therefore your team is out of compliance. 

Right now, Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase is the only African American scheduled for an interview.  However, this must await the end of the Rams' season, which has not happened yet.  Last time we checked, they are still in the playoffs.  The Rooney rule may not be satisfied until after the Super Bowl if the Rams wind up going to the Dance.  

Worse, they scheduled an interview with Mike McDaniel, who refused to interview with the Browns, opting instead to be the Offensive Coordinator for the LA Chargers.  Hence the number of Rooney Rule interviews is zero at this time.  

How can you guys be this stupid? The first thing you should do is comply with the rules, especially if your plan the entire time is to hire from the inside; e.g., Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz.  

Now, if they hurry out and find some minority candidate for Head Coach, it will be altogether obvious that it is only for compliance purposes.  The Browns will look terrible and stupid (as usual).  Don't forget, the Browns are being sued by Brian Flores and other coaches on the grounds that the Rooney Rule is a sham, and this episode will probably become Exhibit A. 

Alternatively, the Browns may have little choice but to hire Nathan Scheelhaase to avoid looking like idiots and getting in trouble with the league.  In that case, they do not have to find a sham interview to comply with the Rooney Rule. 

Ironically, Northeast Ohio and the Browns have historically been way out in front in terms of allowing African Americans and other minorities to participate in professional football.  The Browns have had way more black GMs (Ray Farmer, Sashi Brown, Andrew Berry), black/minority HCs (Terry Robiskie, Romeo Crennel, Hue Jackson), black quarterbacks (David Mays, Spergon Wynn, Seneca Wallace, Jeff Garcia, Thad Lewis, Jason Campbell, Robert Griffin III, Deshone Kizer, Tyrod Taylor, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Jameis Winston, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders) than any other NFL team.  Don't forget that Jim Thorpe played here, and Fritz Pollard played and coached in Akron Ohio from the get-go in 1920.  This, however, is not an excuse for not being on top of the rulebook. 

The Browns may have little choice but to hire Nathan Scheelhaase to avoid looking like idiots and getting in trouble with the league. 

The Browns were racially integrated from their inception in 1946, but nevertheless have had trouble complying with the Rooney Rule in 2026.  

Let's Pump the Brakes on Mendoza

What is it that compels us to believe that Fernando Mendoza is vastly superior to other college quarterbacks? 
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSQHEcgka-K/?img_index=4

Fernando Mendoza is a College Superstar, but does he have to be the Number One overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft?  The Cleveland Browns, the most quarterback fixated team in the NFL, may be considering whether they should move up in the draft in order to select Mendoza, despite still have $130 million left to pay Deshaun Watson, and having used 11 draft picks on quarterbacks  depleted roster after donating six draft picks to the Houston Texans and incurring a $230 million dollar due bill for Deshaun Watson.  If the Browns trade their two first round draft picks in the 2026 draft, plus a few more high round picks in 2027, they could probably move up to first overall.  Would it be worth it? 

Mendoza will surely get his shot to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.  That is not in question. However, there are 32 starters in the NFL, and not all of them were first overall picks.  So how many of the boxes does Mendoza check off?

First, the good: we like the physical attributes.  6'5" 225 lbs is hard to argue with. He also has good speed and running ability though not exactly at the level of former Hoosier Antwaan Randle El.  We like that he led the known world in completion percentage with 73.0%.  We love the fact that he had a very low interception rate (only 6).  But how much of this is team and how much of this is Fernando?  The major mistake sportswriters make is confusing quarterback performance with team performance. 

Indiana has been consistently dominant in college football this season with no real weaknesses.  Indiana was great through the air. But, wait a minute, they were super-great on the ground, leading the Big 10 in rushing yards with 218.0 per game.  Mendoza averaged 223.3 passing yards per game, good for eighth best in the Big 10.  QBs with more yards per game include Jayden Maiava 285.5 (USC), Athan Kaliakmanis, 260.3 (Rutgers), Julian Sayin, 257.9 (Ohio State), Malik Washington, 246.9 (Maryland), Dante Moore, 237.7 (Oregon), Demond Williams Jr., 235.8 (Washington), Luke Altmeyer, 231.3 (Illinois).  Fernando is 22 years old and has 35 games to his credit. Most of his rivals are younger and not ready to enter the draft yet.  So,  you want the number 8 QB in the Big 10  from the top rushing team, and you think he is the best prospect for the long term?  That doesn't sound quite right, does it? Indiana had two second-team All-Big 10 wideouts, and a third team All-Big 10 tight end, plus a sterling defense to get the ball back in the hands of the offense quickly.  

Take a look at the Mendoza highlight film and tell me if you see him make an NFL style progression. His first choice is almost always open, so Fernando can afford to wait behind a stud offensive line until his receiver can get open and then throw him the ball. This is perfectly fine in College ball, but not the way they play in the NFL.  This is the same problem that many of us had with Shedeur Sanders last year.  We want to see a QB with "head on a swivel" making his progressions; being able to look left and throw to fool the defense; moving up in the pocket under pressure instead of running backwards and other Master Class tricks.  It sounds easy, but it takes time and many many practice and game repetitions to master the process.  If you have not heard Tom Brady talk about the rookie transition process, he can tell it way better than I can:

Tom Brady on Rookie QB Development

If Mendoza gets drafted by a good team and can be the number two or number three quarterback for at least one season, he has an excellent chance to succeed in the NFL.  However, if he is drafted by a team like Cleveland, where they play rookies very early in the season and expect one man to transform the offense, he will likely fail.  Look for Sam Bradford 2.0.     

So, yes I would draft Mendoza in Round 1, but it is far from obvious that he should be first overall. I might rather have an edge rusher or an offensive tackle or even a running back like Jeremiyah Love, who I think is an outstanding talent, comparable to Leroy Kelly or  Greg Pruitt.  There are other QBs that do not have the supporting cast the Indiana has, and thus maybe cannot produce the same QB stats, that might have similar talent at the position. You know who they are. Ty Simpson and Trinidad Chambliss lack ideal size but might be better passers than Mendoza. Nobody thinks they should be at the top of Round 1. Let's blame Drew Allar and  Garrett Nussmeier for getting their Coach fired (rather than blame the Coach for inadequate offense), and so these guys are Day 2 candidates.  Carson Beck, okay, threw too many interceptions, but if his Miami team pulls off the upset against Indiana, he might propel himself into Round 1.  Is it silly to base a draft on one game?  You bet.  Is the NFL Draft silly for QBs?  Yes. 

But back to Mendoza. Unfortunately, you don't get to draft the entire Indiana team with just one draft pick.  You just get one player from that team with one pick, and I do not believe that one player will transform a bad team into a good team.  Just pray for him not to wind up with the Jets or the Browns.  

  

The Cleveland Browns Have $77 million of Potential Dead Money in 2026

 

Fans, the Browns are getting their butts kicked in the Front Office, and current players scheduled to depart  as free agents could cost the Browns up to $77 million dollars in additional Dead Money charges if they are not re-signed.  This is on top of the $31.7 in "Dead Money" that the Browns are paying off to players no longer with the team such as Dalvin Tomlinson, Juan Thornhill and others.   

Nothing can be done about the 2026 Dead Money. It comes out of the 2026 Cap and it is gone, gone, gone.  But let's talk about the impending Voidable Years money that is scheduled to turn into dead money but isn't quite there yet. 

Jimmy Haslam, Andrew Berry and the Browns are fond of using "Voidable Years" in player contracts to allow them to sign players at a reduced rate, with cap charges due when the player leaves the team and the contract expires.  That is, teams are allowed to defer bonus money until AFTER a player's contract expires.  But if that player leaves the team (retires, is traded or is cut), that money gets charged to that year's cap.  

So for example, Joel Bitonio signed a contract for 2023, 2024 and 2025.  Great.  He got paid $46 million in bonus money.  Great!  That check is cashed and in his bank account.  However, the cap charges are spread over 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.  If Bitonio is not signed to a new deal, the charges for 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029 are going to be deducted from the 2026 salary cap.  That's an appalling $23 million for a player who would not be playing.  That makes no sense, granted, but we're not talking about sense, we're talking about the accounting rules for the NFL salary cap.  

Conversely, if the Browns can talk their players with expiring contracts into signing a new deal, they can continue to spread the bonus money charges five years into the future.

In the case of the Browns O-Line, all five starters plus backup Teven Jenkins have expiring contracts and everyone except right tackle Cam Robinson has "Voidable Years."   Tight end David Njoku and  defensive end Shelby Harris are also scheduled to leave with Voidable Years.  In all, if nobody re-signs and restructures, the "Dead Money" charge to the Browns amounts to $77 million and would come out of the 2026 salary cap.  

Jeepers peepers, that would make $108 Million in Dead Money if nothing is done about it.  

How do you get out of this?  Well, one way would be to re-sign some of these players for one more year, and once again restructure their deals and push the Voidable Year money into the future one more time.  If a player wants to retire, you could even convince a retiring player to sign a contract anyway for a token amount of money, occupy a roster spot, but never show up for work, and that would allow the Browns to once again extend the voidable year money into the future.  You would lose the roster spot, but in effect obtain a loan. This is a horrible way to run a football team, but the Browns are a horrible team.    

"Voidable Years" money is like Crack Cocaine. Haslam  and  Berry seem to be terribly addicted to the concept.  

Not counting the Voidable Years issue, the Browns are currently on the hook for a $301 Million payroll (Top 51 salaries), according to Overthecap.com.  To that you have to add several million for the NFL draft, plus the practice squad, plus in-season injury replacements.  In all we might project $320 M right now.  Prior to refinancing, the Voidable Years adds $77 M, or potentially close to $400 million in commitments.  However, the cap limit will be around $295 million, meaning they must restructure or cut about $105 million.  Needless to say, this will be a very painful process, but it is barely possible.  Restructuring most of these "Voidable Years" is essential, one way or another.

It will mean, however, that more talent will leave the team than will be brought on board.     

Now, to my fellow sportswriters and fans who are fantasizing about expensive free agent wide receivers that are going to come flocking to Cleveland for 2026, you might as well stop deceiving yourselves and the public.  It is not going to happen.  There is no money for free agent extravaganzas like in previous years. Plus nobody with a career wants to come to Cleveland now.  

The Browns Jimmy Haslam III: Galactic Scale Quarterback Meddler

Jimmy Haslam has done many good things for the Cleveland Browns, but he has also been a major league meddler, especially at the quarterback position. On a great team, the players play, the Coaches coach,  the General Manager manages, and the Owners own.  That's not the way it works in Cleveland. At times the Coaches try to do the GMs job, the Players do the Coach's job, and the owner meddles in damn near anything he pleases, including drafting, signing free agents, selecting the starter for a particular game as well as placing players on the inactive list. In particular, he is in charge of quarterback acquisition and development. Sometimes, give him credit, it actually works, but most of the time it blows up, with the Johnny Manziel and Deshaun Watson fiascos as cases in point. 

This article seeks to enumerate the times when Mr. Haslam has subverted the process in the front office.   Mr. Haslam claims that these decisions are made via a group process, and perhaps this is so to an extent.  In that case his General Managers--Ray Farmer, John Dorsey and especially Andrew Berry deserve to share at least some of the blame.  But in many cases, I infer that Mr. Haslam is to blame on the grounds that the moves have been so egregiously bad that an NFL General Manager, is extremely unlikely to have made them.  For example, signing Deshaun Watson was not completely crazy at some price, but giving up six draft picks and $230 Million in guaranteed money cannot be completely blamed on Andrew Berry. It's just too nuts.  Here then, is my list, in chronological order. 

1. Drafting Johnny Manziel, the wisdom of which was reinforced by the wish of a homeless man who urged Haslam to draft Manziel on Draft Day.  JH3 evidently believed it might have been some kind of omen speaking through a prophetic personality.  No, Jim, he was just a drunk. So was Johnny, by the way. 

One son of an oilman to another, a marriage made in Heaven.

2. Benching Brian Hoyer when the team was 7-7 and still in contention for a playoff spot, so that Manziel could start and lead the team into the playoffs.  Well, Manziel was atrocious as a rookie, so the playoffs went up in smoke.  

3. Brokered a foolish trade with the Bengals for A.J. McCarron. Sashi Brown torpedoed the deal by not signing the paperwork before the deadline, which cost him his job, but resulted in the Browns being able to draft Nick Chubb.  In the middle of the 2017 0-17 tanking season, Coach Hue Jackson whined that he could not win with his current quarterbacks that he had previously proclaimed to be "franchise quarterbacks." Sashi Brown said, "Great, because I want the first overall pick," but JH3 felt sorry for Hue and made a deal with Hue's old team, the Bengals, to bring ace backup A.J. McCarron to Cleveland for the price of two second round draft picks. Brown "forgot" to sign the paperwork and the deal did not go through.  He was fired for this selfless act, but really, we should build Sashi a statue for this move. He left the team with nearly $60 million extra cap space and a ton of extra draft picks--including the second round pick used to bring Nick Chubb to Cleveland.

Boy, A.J. McCarron or Nick Chubb?  Hue Jackson and JH3 wanted McCarron, and when you've got a chance for a Franchise quarterback, you've got to go get him, blah, blah, blah.  Isn't that right, fans? 

4.  Launching the Post-Mayfield era cost 6 draft picks, including 3 Round 1 picks and $230 million for Deshaun Watson, the worst trade in NFL history.  Andrew Berry liked Deshaun Watson, but Jimmy loved him and thought that paying any price was worth it to buy the Super Bowl.  Watson went from $35 Million guaranteed remaining on his deal with the Texans, to $230 million guaranteed in Cleveland.  But that's not the true cost. If you could auction off draft picks, 3 Round 1's,  2 Round 3's and a Round 4 would probably be worth another $200 million. In short the Browns paid three times what Watson was worth, and he started having bad years immediately.  I don't think Deshaun is a bad quarterback, but seeking to emulate the Buffalo Bills deep passing offense was not the right move for him.  

Maybe a Quarterback at any price is not a good philosophy after all. So, did you learn anything from the experience, or shall we repeat the same mistake? 

5.  Signing former Tennessee Vol quarterback Joshua Dobbs as a third string QB in 2022, firing him, signing him again, and then trading him away after training camp.  What?  Doesn't it seem like there was an internal disagreement about Dobbs?  My theory is that Haslam, the staunch Tennessee Vol alum, was the advocate for Dobbs, the former Tennessee Vol Quarterback, and in this case Haslam was mostly right. Nevertheless, the Browns cut Dobbs for no real reason, and then the world found out that he could play when he caught on with the Titans later than year and played well with short preparation. Hey! How about that?  JH3 got one right!  So they re-signed Dobbs for 2023, but then Andrew traded him for a late draft pick to start the season, because Arizona needed a replacement for Kyler Murray, who was injured.  Wait a minute, since when is it the Browns' job to perform acts of charity for other teams' misfortunes?  But don't worry because...

6.  The Browns drafted QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Round 5 and he miraculously became QB2 right out of training camp, ahead of Dobbs.  This made zero sense.  Look, your backup quarterback has to be ready to play on opening day.  He cannot be a developmental Round 5 guy who needs two years to learn the NFL-style playbook.  However, the Browns made him second string right out of training camp (why? Because he completed passes in preseason games?? Really??), and the perception became that Dobbs was expendable (FALSE!). Once in a while it does happen (Russell Wilson and  Dak Prescott were exceptions, but was there really reason to think DTR was Russell or Dak?  Then they did it again in 2024, promoting him over Jameis Winston, only to have him go down due to injury. DTR ended his NFL career with 1 TD pass and 10 INTs. Only an owner could have such a great fascination for rookie quarterbacks.  

7.  Firing Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco after a bad playoff loss in 2023.  The Browns scouting department keeps on coming up with solid veterans like Brian Hoyer, Josh McCown, Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston, and the Browns at the highest level keeps on trashing them.  Joe Flacco save the Browns from DTR and took the Browns to the playoffs but lost to Deshaun Watson's former team, the Houston Texans.  Well, no wonder.  We gave them six draft picks and they used those players against us.  But the main reason Joe had to go was that the Dawg Pound loved him more than Deshaun (in fact we loved darn near everyone more than Deshaun).  JH3 is fearful of the dreaded "quarterback controversy." We can't take it, so to paraphrase Hank Williams, Sr., "Goodbye Joe, you gotta go, me oh my oh!"

Joe Flacco led the Browns to the PLAYOFFS!  Does Haslam care? No. 

8.  Firing Joe Flacco again after a 1-3 start in 2025. We're sorry, Joe!  What were we thinking?  We went 3-14 in 2024 without you Joe! Please come back!  But okay, the Front Office corrected the terrible decision to fire Joe Flacco in 2023, and once again convinced themselves they were Super Bowl contenders. However, after going 1-3 to open the season, they pushed the panic button, and fired Flacco.  The solution?  Rookie quarterback! Enter third round pick Dillon Gabriel.  As mentioned above, it is very rare for a mid-round pick to start early and succeed in the NFL.

9.  Using four (4) draft picks on quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft.  Wait, what?  The Watson process obliged the Browns to provide 2 draft picks to Houston in 2022, 2023, and 2024, plus they used another pick in 2023 on DTR. Rather than give it a rest in 2025, they burned four (4) draft pics on quarterbacks this year.  Given that each team gets only seven per year, four is a.  This is the first year that the Browns had a full slate of draft picks after the Deshaun disaster and they had no business burning four picks on QUARTERBACKS.  A Round 5 traded for Kenny Pickett. A Round 3 used for Dillon Gabriel.  Then an additional Round 6 and a Round 5 were traded to move up in Round 5 for Shedeur. That's completely absurd. Deshaun (6), DTR (1) and the 4 for 2025 account for 11 in four years, including three Round 1 picks. Haslam can point out that he got picks back for DTR, Flacco and Pickett, but they were all worth less than what he paid.  Hence these moves were not sound.  They are more symptomatic of an obsession rather than normal football operations.  

The two veterans with winning career records are Flacco and Pickett.  They were both traded away at a loss. 

10.  Bringing Ravens QB Tyler Huntley into camp, teaching him the playbook, and sending him back to Baltimore two years in a row.  I mean, come on, you can't be giving a quarterback from our arch-rival access to our playbook as well as inside information about the team. If you're going to invite him to camp, give him a contract.  Moreover, Huntley was much more qualified to start in 2025 than either Gabriel or Sanders, given that he had six years of NFL experience including preseason 2024 with the Browns, so quit pretending we late-round rookies are better than veterans.  They were late round picks for a reason, and it was FOOLISH to expect instant success from mid-to-late round picks.  With all the talk about being willing to carry four QBs on the roster, how did the Browns wind up with zero experienced QBs on the active roster by Week 5?

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There you have it, fans.  These moves are so stupid it is difficult to believe that a professional General Manager thought them up.  Still, Andrew Berry has to bear some of the guilt because he signed off on them, and in particular, he created the insane contract that financed Deshaun coming to Cleveland. 

You can fire the Coach, you can fire the General Manager, but you cannot fire the Owner, so look forward for more quarterback madness in 2026. How many qbs will they draft this year and who will they be?  How many draft picks will they trade for quarterbacks, quarterbacks, quarterbacks?  Or will we tank the season for Arch Manning next year? Stay tuned!

Haslam's Golden Gut Triumphs Over DePodesta's Black and White Analytics

 

Paul Depodesta is going to the Colorado Rockies, where they might listen to him.  The Browns would listen for a year, get impatient, and do things Jimmy's way (thank you Mac the Buffalo). 

You can stick a fork in our Cleveland Browns.  We're done.  Jimmy Haslam III hated being told what to do by numbers geek Paul DePodesta anyway. Now he doesn't have to feel guilty about ignoring him.  He's gone, off to oversee operations of the Colorado Rockies.  

This is a disaster, in this analyst's view.  It seems to me that Browns ownership has been divided between Mr. and Mrs. Haslam, with Jimmy preferring to trust his own instincts, and Dee preferring to rely on the best available advisors.  DePodesta was the best possible advisor and had the right idea, making evidence-based decisions. Realizing that the Browns were inferior to the Steelers and Ravens as evaluators of talent and team builders, the way to overcome the gap was to hoard draft picks and cap space for a few years, and then outspend and out-draft the rest of the league for about five years in a row, building a stronger organization in the process. However, it was going to be a cycle, and the team would have to be restocked at some point.  The Browns have been at that point for a few years now but will not admit it.  4-13 and no cap space for free agents is the result.

DePo's plan was working in 2018 when they drafted three Pro Bowl talents in one draft:  Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb.  However, then they reversed course and started using the Jimmy method, figuring they were going to win the Super Bowl in 2019. They overspent and traded away first round draft picks for the likes of Odell Beckham, Jr., and hired Freddie Kitchens, a guy with zero coaching experience, as head Coach. That was a disaster, so they went back on the DePo plan, what was left of it, hiring analytics-based Kevin Stefanski and made the playoffs.  Ah, now we've got it!  But then they shifted back into Full Haslam mode by overspending on Deshaun Watson while simultaneously obliterating their draft for three years. Hence they have re-established themselves as "loveable losers" which is where they find themselves today, mired in salary cap hell, and trusting the owner to find the right quarterback.  

This year the Browns used four draft picks on quarterbacks: two to draft Shedeur, a Round 3 pick on Dillon Gabriel plus a Round 6 pick (plus Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who they were ready to give up on) for Kenny Pickett, and also signed Joe Flacco.  Pickett and Flacco have been fired, with Flacco currently averaging 313 yards per game for Division rival Cincinnati, and Pickett serving as second string at Las Vegas. This is classic Jimmy Ball. 

The Browns salary cap is in shambles. They still owe $130 million to Deshaun, plus they have multiple long term guaranteed contracts to aging veterans, causing them to already be overspent for 2026. They will have to restructure or cut multiple veterans just to get under the limit, and there won't be money to add new big time free agents, so forget about those fantasies right now. 

With the possible exception of the New York Jets, the Browns are the most quarterback-obsessed team and fan base in the NFL, making multiple trades and signings this year.  As a result, our best guy, Joe Flacco, is tossing 300 yard games for rival Cincinnati.  

Our talented rookie quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, is also the one furthest away from running an NFL offense.  He will get his chance later this year, but his career with the Browns may already be over. Jimmy and the Dawg Pound can't wait to get their hands on a new quarterback in the upcoming draft.  The Browns will not be able to offer much in the way of pass protection, as they are contractually committed to the same old guys who are currently ranked number 32 in the league out of 32 teams.   It's a total mess, and it's going to get worse. 

Remember, you wanted this.

Browns Patented Method for Ruining Young Quarterbacks--Good for Shedeur??

Many fans pooh-pooh the notion that Shedeur Sanders fell in the draft because of fears that he would get Front Office people fired in the organization that drafted him. But in Cleveland, many fans are calling for Coach Stefanski to be fired for not playing Shedeur.

The Cleveland Browns are famous for ruining young quarterbacks by sending them into battle before they are ready and having them learn bad habits--mainly trying to apply college offense methods to the Pro game--then giving up on them. 

This is what is wrong with the Shedeur Sanders debate. It's a false issue whether Shedeur is better than Dillon.  Of course Shedeur is better than Dillon. The question is whether putting Shedeur on the field now, behind an aging offensive line and with Jerry Jeudy as the only credible wide receiver, helps his career in any way.

I laugh at those who claim the Browns "need to learn what they have in Shedeur in the second half of the season."  What nonsense.  How much did the New York Jets learn about Sam Darnold in three years?  How much did the Browns learn about Baker Mayfield in four years?  How much did the Giants learn about Daniel Jones in six years?  Answer:  Absolutely nothing.  They did, however, learn to blame their problems on the quarterback.   

 I thought Dillon was a stupid draft pick by Andrew Berry and I said so at the time.  That's not the issue.  Just because Dillon is going to struggle, doesn't mean the best thing is to put Shedeur into a bad situation. 

The quarterbacks are not going to put up numbers until the Browns draft a stud left tackle and replace the old men on the offensive line.  They also need professional wide receivers.

Shedeur has not learned to play within structure.  One piece of evidence is that in the preseason, according to Pro Football Focus and Yahoo, Sanders' Time To Throw (TTT) was 3.96 seconds, the longest of any player ever recorded in preseason.  

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/shedeur-sanders-showed-true-character-125802268.html

That's not good, though it is correctable with time. He had issues hold ing the ball too long in college, and in his last preseason game he got sacked five times, after which fourth string QB Tyler Huntley came in and marched the team down the field and scored. 

So no, I don't think Shedeur will play well on this team in 2025.  He needs to grow in 2025, and the Browns need to upgrade their roster for 2026. 

I don't see the point of watching him suffer through some bad losses this season. He might win a game or two, but it is much more likely that he is going to be as bad or worse than Dillon this year. Shedeur will generate lots of sacks and interceptions and not that many passing yards if he starts this year. 2026 is the more realistic goal to convert him into a Pro style passer.  

Drafting a few offensive linemen and wide receivers might help, too.     

Note, however, that Haslam and Andrew Berry are carrying massive financial commitments for 2026 and will be unable to improve the roster by adding glamor free agents.  They will still owe $130 million to Deshaun Watson, and they are carrying several huge guaranteed veterans' contracts  that will prevent them from signing new veteran free agents. There will likely be dead money charges over $100 million dollars in 2026.  It remains to be seen whether they will have the resources to provide personnel to adequately protect a young quarterback in 2026.  

The vicious cycle may never end for Jimmy Haslam III, who loves quarterbacks so much that he may destroy his team finding the next messianic savior at the position.

A good team can win with a backup quarterback, and in fact Super Bowls have been won about 10 times with backup quarterbacks over the years.  So if your team can only win 4 or 5 games a year, it's probably not just the quarterback that needs fixing. There are probably half a dozen below average players on that unit.    

The Browns are just not a good offensive team.  Seeking to upgrade the quarterback position is a nice idea, but there are many more upgrades that are needed besides the quarterback. The Browns should try to field an NFL-caliber offense in 2026 and if they have that, they could consider starting Shedeur and try to score some points.      

Flacco Rings Up 33 on Steelers: Thank you Cleveland!

 

The Browns have a terrible offense this year, as everyone knows.  So far they have been unable to score more than 17 points. 

Stupid teams try to solve problems by assigning blame, and the Browns are a stupid team. The Browns always, always, always blame it on the quarterback. Hence, they decided to blame their terrible offense on Joe Flacco.  Presumably, everything else was great:  Great O-Line, great WRs, great TEs and great Running Backs.  The only problem was the quarterback, or so they thought.  Out with you, Joe Flacco. Off to Cincinnati for a coveted Round 6 draft pick. That's all you are worth.

None of this can be true.  Otherwise, Joe Flacco could not possibly have led the Bengals to a 33-31 victory.  His ceiling is only 17 points, right? 

Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin did not believe it for a minute. "“To be honest, it was shocking to me,” he said Monday. “Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening-day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area (due to Joe Burrow's injury), but that’s just my personal feelings.”

The solution is equally stupid:   ROOKIE QUARTERBACK!  

The Browns LOVE to change quarterbacks! They always think that a rookie quarterback will burst onto the scene and solve all their problems, despite an aging offensive line, lack of depth at running back, wide receivers who can't get open or can't catch the ball and unimaginative 

 

Conversely, it pains me to point out that it is totally implausible that someone as slow and short as Gabriel is could be able to deliver the football in traffic. Linemen are able to crowd him out and bat down his passes. Hence last week the Steelers were able to deflect 8 passes, sacking the little guy 6 times and getting hits on him an incredible 16 times.  This is not going to work, fellas. This is not 2020 when the Browns had five offensive linemen who were a threat to head to Canton when they retire.  Now they are simply a threat to retire.   

A new quarterback will not be effective until such time as they rebuild the offensive line.  They don't necessarily need to use the first overall pick on a stud tackle, but they do need to have some first round ammunition.  They can trade back a few spots and acquire another first round pick in 2027 and additional help in the early rounds, just as they did in the Travis Hunter trade (Browns' No. 2 overall for  No. 5 overall  plus a Round 2 pick and a 2026 Round 1 pick).  Rebuild the offensive line, and then you can think about the skill positions including the quarterback.  

The main question I have, is who is calling the shots in Berea?  Whose idea was it to fire Flacco the first time?  And then whose idea was it to start quarterbacks for just one game at the end of the season (Bailey Zappe and Jeff Driskel in 2023)?  Whose idea was it to sign Kenny Pickett and then trade him?  Whose idea was it to sign a quarterback who can't play in Dillon Gabriel?  Whose idea was it to sign a talented but undisciplined quarterback in Shedeur?  Whose idea was it to blow four more draft picks after Deshaun, making a total of 10 since 2022?  

If I did not know better, I'd swear that co-owner James Haslam III was still calling the shots on quarterbacks and has not learned a thing since the Deshaun debacle.  

Bruce Aryans Would be the Perfect Interim Coach

 

I want somebody that is brutally honest who Shedeur Sanders will actually listen to...like Bruce Aryans!

Well, once again, your Browns have screwed up royal by blaming their inferior offense on a Super Bowl quarterback in Joe Flacco, when the real problem is that the team is about six players short of NFL caliber on offense.  In all, the Browns have invested 10 draft picks, including 3 Round 1 picks, and they have only Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders to show for it.  This has been the most horrible over-investment in quarterbacks in NFL history. 

The current quarterback of the present, Dillon Gabriel, is far more advanced than the more talented Shedeur Sanders, but everyone else in the NFL--as far as we know--graded him in the sixth round.  Namely, Gabriel is too slow and too short to evade the pass rush. His passes are going to get knocked down and he is going to get sacked.  Versus Pittsburgh, he got sacked 6 times, with 16 quarterback hits and 8 pass deflections.

It was a mistake to start Gabriel if the Browns were not serious about committing to him as their starter. A new quarterback normally deserves at least a year to prove that he belongs.  

As it is, Gabriel is an embarrassment.  This stuff--play design, play calling, structuring the team, all of it-- just does not work. 

On the other hand, it is hard to justify starting Sanders, especially while he seems more interested in his stats than doing everything he can to help his team win. You see this often at the college level, when a quarterback will willingly take a sack rather than throw an incompletion.  Dan Orlovsky of ESPN articulated this concern about Shedeur, and there may be some truth to this.

Is there a way to start Shedeur without feeding any potential sense of entitlement?  Well, how about hiring a disciplinarian like Bruce Aryans, a guy with exceptionally high credibility, who also happened to have been Tom Brady's boss when their team won the Super Bowl.  Bruce was also a former Browns Offensive Coordinator.  

Bruce might not be interested for a five-year gig with the Browns, but an interim job might be just the thing for him at age 73.  Heck, let's see if we can get Offensive Line Coach Bill Callahan (69) back. There's another guy with Super Bowl experience and a great track record of success.  

Who's Going to Tell Myles We Want to Give Up on the Season?

 

https://www.nfl.com/videos/garafolo-myles-garrett-s-production-could-be-scary-after-new-contract

Um, Mr. Garrett, the fans would like to give up the season to start testing rookie quarterbacks. We hope you will understand and continue to play for us at a high level while the team gets its butt kicked every week. How about it, sir? (HINT:  He ain't buying it!)

https://x.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1966570434859790701

Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Bailey Zappe have the same levels of fan support as the mayoral candidates in New York City--violent disagreement.

A persistent theme in the fan base is that it's time to give up on the season so that we can "find out about" our quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Bailey Zappe and make a decision about drafting a quarterback in 2026.  This mentality that it's time to give up after just a few games is absurd. 

In the NFL, you play to win every game, first of all.  You don't make lineup changes based on next year's agenda until such time as you are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.  You owe that to your players. 

Otherwise, Mr. and Ms. Fan, I am assigning YOU the task of explaining to Mr. Myles Garrett why you want to tank the season, and yet you expect him to stay in Cleveland. Mr. and Mrs. Haslam will hire you to represent the fan base, assign you to a conference room at 76 Lou Groza Blvd in Berea and you can go one-on-one with Mr. Garrett and explain the ingeniousness of your plan to just give up and start testing rookie quarterbacks.   

What exactly do you think you're going to find out?  First of all, the problems with the Browns offense are not related to Joe Flacco.  The offensive line has gotten old, and will not get younger if you install a rookie quarterback.  There is only one wide receiver, Jerry Jeudy, The second guy, Cedric Tillman, only had 339 yards last year, and is off to a slow start this year. 

Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady both talk openly about the need to gain head smarts by studying the first year.  Some college quarterbacks, particularly mobile ones, have been able to have success their first year, notably Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, C.J. Stroud Baker Mayfield and a few others.

If the offense is struggling under Joe Flacco, if the offensive line can't provide pass protection or run blocking, if there is no WR2 to take pressure off Jerry Jeudy, the offense is certain to continue to struggle. what exactly is the rookie quarterback supposed to do? 

By the way, no matter which quarterback you pick, it will be the wrong one.  The preseason showed us that Shedeur likes to go off script and scramble, and this was very effective in college. He made a lot of spectacular improvised plays but also took a lot of sacks.  He is probably the People's Choice, but is far from transitioning to the Pro game.  

Dillon Gabriel impresses with head smarts and moxie, and played in a pro-style offense at Oregon under Dan Lanning.  However, the combination of small size and slow foot speed may be detrimental for the spectacular NFL success that Browns fans crave.  

Bailey Zappe is also slow but agile and has NFL experience. Nobody thinks of him as a starter after not being the answer in post-Brady New England.  However, he threw for a record  nearly  5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns in his senior year at Western Kentucky.  Yikes. 

If Flacco had to miss a game, Gabriel is the second string, though Zappe would merit some consideration to start.  Zappe started one game for the Browns last year.   

Now let's ask this:  why is it flat out impossible to compete for the AFC North or at least a Wild Card?  At the time of the composition of this article, only the Bengals are above .500, and their first string quarterback is out, possibly for the entire season, with Jake Browning in.  If you're going to tell me that the qb doesn't matter, why are we having this discussion? The Bengals can be caught. 

Do you think that the Steelers are invincible now that they have Aaron Rodgers on their team?  Just like the New York Jets last year nearly went to the Super Bowl, right?  Not. 

The Ravens figure to be the most formidable competition, but they lost one game and should have lost to the Browns.  Not unbeatable. Currently one game ahead of the Browns, and many of our fans want to give up.  

Good grief, this is football.  Just as Tom Hanks said "There is no crying in baseball," I say, "There is no giving up in football."  Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over till it's over." I say the same thing. When you're mathematically eliminated, then you can sit down the veterans who you think might not be with the team next year, not before.  

 

Browns, Packers have Similar Roster Composition

 

The Browns actually have more players from Rounds 1-4 on their roster than the Packers (29 for the Browns versus 26 for the Packers) and the Packers have more players from Rounds 5-7 plus Undrafted players (27 for the Pack and 24 for the Browns).  

The Cleveland Browns actually have one more Round 1 pick on their roster than the Packers do. Overall the Browns have 29 players originally drafted from Rounds 1-4 versus 26 for the Pack. The Packers have more Round 5 and 6 draft picks on their roster, while the Browns have three more undrafted players on their roster. Overall, rounds 5-7 plus undrafted account for 27 Packers versus 24 Browns.  

That is a bit surprising.  Recently I wrote an article pointing out  that Browns are operating at a distinct disadvantage compared to Baltimore because the Ravens have more early round draft picks on their roster than the Browns. This is not surprising after years of giveaways for recycled superstars such as Odell Beckham, Jr. and especially Deshaun Watson. However, surprisingly, the Browns compare more favorably versus the supposedly invincible Green Bay Packers, who are favored by -9.5 points in our house for Game 3.  

Of course, the draft is not always an accurate indicator of talent. Sometimes the undrafted player makes All-Pro, while the first round pick flames out after a year or two.  Plus, the free agent process adds some variables.  The Packers are a very young team, with only the long snapper and placekicker aged 30 or older, whereas the Browns have 11 guys age 30 or older.  

Nevertheless, if the scouting department knows what it is doing, it should be hitting on its early round draft picks.  It is a bit weird that the Packers are more represented by late round picks than early picks.  

Perhaps what we are seeing is that the Packers let their draft picks go rather than re-resigning them, and they have been awarded compensatory picks, which tend to be later round picks.  They would rather have young players from late rounds rather than early round players on their second contract, perhaps.   That trend may continue, now that they have traded for Micah Parsons and their first round picks for the next two seasons now belong to Dallas.