The Cleveland Browns’ decision to fire head coach Kevin Stefanski wasn’t met with much criticism or second-guessing. It was seen as unavoidable and a long time coming.
However, many people believe the organizational shakeup didn’t go far enough, with general manager Andrew Berry allowed to keep his job. He and Stefanski were hired weeks apart during the 2020 offseason, and they worked in tandem to produce the results that resulted in just one of them losing his job.
To analyst Zac Jackson, that is a sign of an organization in disarray, and it should serve as a warning to the Browns as they conduct their coaching search.
“Experience matters. This organization is a disaster. Jimmy [Haslam] can say it’s not dysfunctional. Well, you fired one of them for not winning and you kept the other one, rewarding the worst trade in NFL history. If the Browns don’t have a coach until Jan. 30 or even the day after the Super Bowl, that doesn’t matter. For 26 years, it’s been a race to nowhere. This is not a race right now,” Jackson said.
The 2022 trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson has hung over the Browns like a dark cloud almost from the moment it was made. Cleveland sent multiple first-round picks and other assets to the Houston Texans, and it signed Watson to the largest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history, a record that remarkably still stands.
As the general manager, that decision falls heavily on Berry. The fact that Haslam has called the deal “a big swing and miss” only raises more doubt about Berry’s continued employment.
Perhaps the GM saved his job with an excellent 2025 NFL Draft class, one that included Carson Schwesinger, Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins, and Harold Fannin Jr., not to mention Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The potential of their young players could lead to a quick turnaround next season.
The Browns also have two first-round picks and other capital in the 2026 NFL Draft, so perhaps Haslam believes Berry can repeat that success. In fact, Berry might even be in line for a promotion. Assistant GM Glenn Cook is a possible target for other NFL teams, and a restructuring might be needed to convince him to stay.
All of this could further complicate the Browns’ search for a new head coach, as any candidate might have some questions about what kind of organization he would be walking into.
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