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Cleveland Browns' 5 offseason questions: Play-calling, extensions, Deshaun Watson, more
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- Cleveland Browns' 5 offseason questions: Play-calling, extensions, Deshaun Watson, more
BEREA — The Browns' season has been over for three weeks since their AFC wild-card loss in Houston . Somehow, there may only be more questions to be answered now than there were the night their season ended.
Some of the questions are personnel-related . However, in the last two-plus weeks, there's been several more questions created surrounding the coaching staff and, by extension, the front office and even ownership.
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Coming off an 11-6 regular season and the team's third playoff berth since 1999, some questions were just inevitable. Still, with months remaining before the Browns even get back together for the start of the voluntary offseason program, these are questions where at least a little clarity would be nice. Some of it could come soon, some may remain cloudy for some time.
Will Kevin Stefanski keep calling plays, or will it be Ken Dorsey?
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks at his playlist during the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nov. 19, 2023, in Cleveland.
If either the head coach or the new offensive coordinator was to nip this one in the bud, they can do so Monday new OC Ken Dorsey is expected to be introduced to the media. All it takes is Kevin Stefanski saying something along the lines of, "I love calling plays, but I just believe there's so much more on my plate as a head coach going into this season, it's best to focus on those and let Ken handle the play calling."
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Want to put cold, hard cash on that being said, or even words that somewhat resemble that clear-cut of an answer? Didn't think so.
Sources have continually said the decision on who will call the plays is Stefanski's, but that they were working through the decision, It's hard to imagine hiring any offensive coordinator, let alone one who has called plays before, without that being discussed.
So the guess here is that, when Dorsey meets with the media for the first time in his new role, the question will most certainly be asked, and likely asked in several different ways. The answers, or non-answers, that follows will keep this topic on the front burner for some time.
How do the Browns replace Bill Callahan as offensive line coach?
Browns guard Wyatt Teller speaks with offensive line coach Bill Callahan during practice Aug. 10, 2021, in Berea.
This is actually a two-pronged question: How do they fill the vacancy and what's the impact of Callahan's loss?
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The Browns talked to Andy Dickerson, the Seattle Seahawks ' offensive line coach last season, as part of the offensive coordinator interviews, so they could circle back to him.
Beyond Dickerson, the Browns also have a highly-regarded internal candidate in Callahan's right-hand man, assistant line coach Scott Peters.
Listen to any Browns offensive lineman speak about Callahan's impact, and it almost takes on reverential tones. Watch the way the Browns offensive line handled the litany of injuries this past season and still managed to win 11 games. and it all makes sense.
Peters isn't Callahan, but the 45-year-old has worked in lock-step with him since Stefanski arrived in 2020. He's been tutored in many ways by Callahan to run his own offensive line group at some point, and now could be that point, if for no other reason that to maintain a level of consistency.
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When will contract extensions arrive for general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski?
Browns general manager Andrew Berry, left, and head coach Kevin Stefansk watch the team's rookie minicamp in Berea, Saturday, May 13, 2023.
It said "when" not "if" in the question. That's because, despite what seems like a large percentage of turnover coming out of a playoff season, there's been no indication within the organization that extensions don't remain in the plans this offseason for the longest-tenured Browns general manager (Andrew Berry) since Ernie Accorsi in the 1980s and the longest-tenured Browns head coach (Kevin Stefanski) since Bill Belichick in the 1990s.
The four years Berry and Stefanski have been together have produced some of the best moments in the expansion-era Browns' history. They've accounted for two of their three playoff berths and two of their four winning seasons in the last 25 years, while Stefanski's 37 regular-season wins are fifth-most in team history behind Paul Brown (158), Blanton Collier (76), Sam Rutigliano (47) and Marty Schottenheimer (44).
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Both Berry and Stefanski are entering into the final year of their contracts. That opens the door for the questions to be asked until that door is shut by final resolution to the issue.
A source told the Beacon Journal the extensions would be coming in the offseason when asked late in the regular season. That's been re-affirmed in the time since the playoff loss, so the waiting game continues.
What's the offseason outlook for Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson ?
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson stands on the sidelines during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, in Cleveland.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson sustained the season-ending shoulder injury on Nov. 12 in the first half of the Week 10 win over the Baltimore Ravens . He underwent the surgery to repair the damage on Nov. 21.
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When Watson was last seen on the day after the Browns' playoff loss to the Texans , the sling he had been wearing was no more. In fact, he had discarded it for some time.
Berry was asked in his season-ending press conference on Jan. 22 about Watson's timetable to be fully available to throw. He initially deflected it to the medical staff before responding, "There's nothing that would suggest that there should be some type of limitation or anything like that moving forward."
The real answers to how well Watson looks won't come until the 2024 season actually begins. The ability to answer the question on just how he looks throwing the ball won't be answered until he's seen on a regular basis in workouts.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and GM Andrew Berry talk during practice, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in Berea.
Where's the initial focus for the Browns in NFL free agency and trades?
It's been covered before in terms of areas of need, but that was just the opinion of one person who covers the team. The question is where do Berry and his top assistants, Glenn Cook and Catherine Raiche, see as the places to direct the assists they possess to fill needs?
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Is it receiver? How about re-stocking the defensive line? What about the guy to back up Watson?
The wait until mid-March's opening of the league year remains on for the Browns and their fans. That's when they'll begin to at least get a glimpse at Berry's thinking on where the Browns need replacements.
It won't be the final vision for the 2024 Browns. If you squint hard enough though, it should give you an idea of where they're heading.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Play-calling duties, extensions among Browns 5 offseason questions
