The Cleveland Browns underwent a big personnel change this week when chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta abruptly stepped down after nearly a decade with the team to take over as the president of baseball operations for the Colorado Rockies. It was a development that now adds yet another question mark to the Browns’ long list of offseason items that need to be answered.
With a major opening in the front office, there have already been a handful of intriguing names thrown out there by fans and media members alike who are eager to see the Browns make a big splash. One of those names is John Dorsey, who recently made his thoughts clear on a potential return.
During a recent episode of Afternoon Drive, Jonathan Peterlin provided an update on Dorsey’s reported response to a potential return to Cleveland.
“I talked to someone who spoke directly with John Dorsey yesterday. The quote I got from them, and this person knows John and is friends with him, was: ‘That ship has sailed,'” Peterlin said.
"I talked to somebody that directly talked to John Dorsey yesterday…that ship has sailed."
🚨 @JPeterlin gives @NickWilsonSays an update on #Browns fans that want John Dorsey to return to the organization 🏈 pic.twitter.com/yLcNngudri
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) November 7, 2025
Dorsey was the Browns’ general manager from 2017 through 2019, and he made a number of great moves that helped usher in one of the more successful regimes in team history. In his brief time as GM, he drafted Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb while also trading for Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr.
He developed the foundation of the team that finally ended the long playoff drought when the Browns upset the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, which was their first playoff win since 1994 and their first playoff appearance since 2002. Naturally, many fans have fond memories of his tenure and would love to give him another shot.
It’s unclear what Andrew Berry’s role will be going forward now that DePodesta is gone, but it’s far too early to answer these questions. These are offseason issues, and come January, there will likely be a lot of changes at the top in Cleveland.
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