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A week removed from a loss in the wild-card round and after a series of coaching staff changes, the Cleveland Browns are now beginning the process of laying out their offseason priorities and evaluating the key decisions they’ll face ahead of the mid-March start of the new league year.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said it’s too early to know exactly what those decisions are. During his season wrap-up news conference Monday, he acknowledged that he’s not going to share much when the Browns finalize those plans. But Berry’s relatively news-free, 30-minute session included an admission that Nick Chubb’s future with the team is uncertain ahead of the final year of the contract the running back signed in 202
“Obviously, I understand that’s a little bit of the elephant in the room,” Berry said. “With Nick, I can say for myself (and for) the organization (that) nobody wants to see that carry in Pittsburgh be the last time he carries the ball for the Cleveland Browns. And obviously there are things that we’ll have to work through, but that would not be our intention. We obviously will work to keep him on the team
Chubb, who turned 28 last month, will be entering his seventh NFL season. He had two surgeries to repair the meniscus, MCL and ACL in his left knee after he was injured in Week 2 in Pittsburgh.
Chubb is due to count about $15.8 million on the Browns’ 2024 salary cap in the final year of his current deal, but the guarantees on the contract have been paid, and Cleveland would only incur $4 million in dead money if Chubb is not on the roster
Berry acknowledged that Chubb was seen in December around the facility walking without crutches because he’s been cleared to do so. But there’s no set timetable for a return to action, which potentially further complicates the renegotiation process.
The Browns figure to be looking for another running back either in the draft or free agency with Kareem Hunt again set to hit free agency, but how much of a priority that position becomes can’t be determined until they have clearer answers on Chubb, both with his health and his contract status
“Nick is still very early in his rehab process, but the tenacity with which he has attacked his rehab has been impressive Berry said.He did everything in his power this year to heal himself, but also make a positive impact with the team. … He wanted to do everything in his power to help the team win
“I probably came into this year, on a scale of one to 10 in terms of respect for Nick Chubb, it was a 10. And probably coming out of this year, it’s now a 20
Chubb had 32 rushing touchdowns over his first three seasons in Kevin Stefanski’s offense and is behind only Jim Brown on multiple franchise rushing record lists. Chubb is averaging 5.3 yards per carry for his career and was averaging 6.1 early this season before the injury
Per Spotrac , Chubb’s $15.825 million is scheduled to be the third-highest running back salary-cap number in the league. Cleveland probably would have looked to renegotiate Chubb’s contract and lower that number even if he was healthy, so we’ll wait — probably until late February or early March — to see if the Browns and Chubb’s representation can come to an agreement that works for both side
It’s fair to assume the Browns will again exercise their right to re-work the contract of Deshaun Watson and lower the current 2024 cap number of $63.9 million that the quarterback is set to carry. Spotrac has the Browns at $13.8 million over the projected cap number ahead of a Watson reduction. As the Browns move closer to finalizing their offseason plans, a re-work of Chubb’s contract and likely one for injured offensive tackle Jack Conklin — who currently carries a 2024 cap number of $12 million — would lead the team closer to an exact understanding of how much cap space will be available in Marc
Berry said the team is pleased with Watson’s recovery from November surgery to repair a displaced fracture to the glenoid in his right shoulder. Berry said Watson is on schedule — or “potentially ahead” — with his rehab, and that the Browns believe the quarterback will be cleared to participate in the formal offseason program this spring
“Probably the bigger takeaway is we feel really good about the recovery,” Berry said. “There’s nothing that would suggest that there should be some type of limitation or anything like that moving forward
Watson has played only 12 games in two seasons, but both Berry and Stefanski have unsurprisingly offered public support of Watson and the team’s commitment to him since the season ended
“Yeah, we’d all love to have him on the field more often,” Berry said. “I think that’s safe to say, himself included. I do feel really good about him, happy with the progress that he’s made within our organization, both on the field and off the field, and we’re looking forward to getting him back next year. We think he’s going to have a really big year and have a ton of confidence in him as our starting quarterback
Berry said he would be open to quarterback Joe Flacco returning to the Browns as a backup to Watson, and said there would be zero awkwardness to that potential situation in the Browns’ locker room. But Berry stressed that it’s too early to know what the external market for Flacco might be, or what the Browns’ budget is for a veteran backup
Berry went the no-comment route on last week’s firing of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who had worked under Stefanski for four seasons. Berry said the Browns won’t comment on any staff changes until their 2024 coaching staff is complete
A few hours after Berry spoke Monday, the Browns moved toward the hiring of Tommy Rees, Alabama’s offensive coordinator last season, as their new tight ends coach. Multiple league sources confirmed the Browns’ interest in Rees, but his exact title is undetermined.
Rees, 31, previously was the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame and spent two summers as a teenager working in the Browns’ equipment room when his father, Bill Rees, worked in the team’s front office
Stefanski has called the plays for all four of his seasons on the job. Berry was asked if that will continue in 2024, and he said that is still to be determine
“That’s something that we always talk about every offseason as kind of the self-assessment part,” Berry said. “Part of that depends on where we land with staff and what Kevin’s preferences are. Ultimately that’s going to be Kevin’s decision as he constructs the staff.
We’ve mentioned multiple times, I think that’s one of Kevin’s strengths, but how that operates from year to year, that’s ultimately something that we reassess
Asked if the Browns might eventually look to hire a coordinator with a direct connection to or history with Watson, Berry said, “We’re going to look for the best people. It’s just as simple as that
Three candidates have been confirmed via league sources as having interviewed or having coordinator interviews scheduled with the Browns: Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson and former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Of the three, only Dorsey has previous experience calling play
Johnson, 35, was a journeyman quarterback before getting into coaching. He’s been a full-time NFL assistant for the last four seasons and was the Texans’ quarterbacks coach in 2023 after spending 2022 as assistant quarterbacks coach with the Minnesota Vikings.
The outstanding rookie season posted by Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud has earned Johnson attention from multiple teams, and Stroud has spoken highly of Johnson
Dickerson, 41, has spent the last 20 years climbing the NFL ladder. He was previously with the Browns under Eric Mangini, serving as a defensive quality control coach in 2009 and assistant offensive line coach in 2010. He spent nine seasons with the Rams before spending the last three with the Seahawks, the last two as offensive line coac
Dorsey, 42, played for the Browns as a backup quarterback from 2006 to 2008 and was fired as the Bills’ offensive coordinator in November. Dorsey spent five seasons as quarterbacks coach in Carolina before his five years in Buffalo, two as quarterbacks coach and three as offensive coordinato
The Browns don’t have a strict timeline for hiring an offensive coordinator — or filling their open running backs coach position — and could be waiting either for teams to be eliminated from the playoffs or for other vacancies across the league to be filled.
There is one potential situation that could affect the staff, as Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan has interviewed for multiple head-coaching vacancies and has a second interview scheduled with the Tennessee Titan
Callahan’s father, Bill, is the Browns’ offensive line coach and is regarded not only as one of the team’s most valuable assistants but also as one of the league’s best assistant coaches. Berry was asked if the Browns believe they could lose Bill Callahan should Brian land a head-coaching jo
It’s a good question. I definitely understand the interest there, Berry said. We obviously value Bill very highly. He’s done a great job with us the past four seasons, but I probably don’t feel comfortable commenting on that until we address the coaching staff commenting on that until we address the coaching staff.
