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.
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