PITTSBURGH, PA — Thanks to their season-ending 28-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers to close out a very disappointing season, there are some offseason changes that need to happen in Berea.
1.) Kevin Stefanski must be relieved of play-calling duties, effective immediately. It’s one thing when you become somewhat predictable in your play calling tendencies, but when you attempt 30-plus throws (31) in sub-zero temperatures vs. a dome team in the New Orleans Saints in a frigid 17-10 loss, it is anything short of infuriating.
Can someone please explain to The Dawg Pound, how and why Nick Chubb carried the ball only 24 times? Aside from questionable, and sometimes conservative playcalling, Stefanski has also shown a tendency to abandon the run and become too cute and play the ball a bit too often.
Whoever the new offensive play caller is, needs to find the right balance between run and pass, as well as unlock the Deshaun Watson that put up big numbers while in Houston.
2.) Draft a quality DT/DE first. While it goes without saying that embattled defensive coordinator Joe Woods needs to go, the biggest problem with the Browns isn’t just the soon-to-be former defensive coordinator, but getting pressure on the QB and stopping the run.
Cleveland needs to look at either signing a top tier free agent defensive lineman to either pair opposite Myles Garrett or plug the middle of the defensive line. It is sad that the Browns wasted another brilliant season by the former Texas A&M star, who tied his own franchise sack record of 16.5 and needs help across from him. Badly.
Big names such as Robert Quinn, Daron Payne, Marcus Davenport, Jordan Phillips and Markus Golden could be possible targets.
If the Browns decide to go in the direction of drafting some help, prospects such as Tuli Tuipulotu of USC, Derick Hall from Auburn, Jared Verse out of Florida State and Myles Murphy from Clemson may be available when Cleveland makes their first selection in the second round.
3.) Deshaun Watson needs time to grow. I know this sounds like an oxymoron considering that the former 2020 Pro Bowl QB just came off a 11-game suspension and hadn’t been on an NFL field in 700 days. But now that Watson has half a dozen games under his belt, Watson needs to spend his off-season developing chemistry with WR’s Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones and TE David Njoku.
In six games, Watson completed 99/170 passes (58.2 percent) for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions for a QB rating of 79.1. Again, a small sample size for someone of his skill level, but none the less, it’s unacceptable based on the record breaking contract that he signed, along with the ongoing sexual assault cases still pending, that will be addressed in the offseason.
Depending on how things shake out with the latest compliant filed vs. Watson, it could either be another long offseason of distractions in Cleveland or some much-needed closure and a chance to finally move forward for all parties involved.