Freddie Kitchens

Freddie Kitchens: One and done?

As each week passes and the Cleveland Browns continue to lose games, it seems highly likely that Freddie Kitchens is one and done.

It is appearing more and more likely that Freddie Kitchens will be gone after this season, if not before it is over. The Cleveland Browns have played worse than anyone could have imagined. Coaching decisions and the offensive scheme have been questionable at best. It is very realistic to think that Freddie Kitchens is one and done.

The magic that Freddie and Baker Mayfield had last season is almost non-existent. The schemes, plays and concepts that made things work last year rarely make an appearance. When they do it gives Browns fans false hope that an adjustment was made and things will work only to have the rug pulled out from under them yet again. It is almost like Freddie does not know how to correctly use his own personnel.

Freddie Kitchens is not doing Baker Mayfield any favors

Baker Mayfield is best when he lines up under center. Mayfield performs better when he does not have throw the ball in high volumes, yet here we are.

That is all you need to know about how to properly use Baker Mayfield. If Mayfield has to throw the ball that much, chances are the Browns are losing the game. Mayfield needs a strong running game that sets up play-action in order to be effective. Yet time after time Mayfield is lining up in shotgun and running play fakes that are only faking out his own teammates. Opposing defenses know what is coming and can stop it easily.

The Browns offense is predictable and a perfect example of this occurred in the loss to Denver.

This play should have been checked at the line and a pass should have been called. The defense was expecting run and stopped it easily. Those play -action passes that Baker excels at? Yeah, that would have been a great time to call one.

Kitchens’ mismanagement of the roster is not just limited to Baker Mayfield.

Nick Chubb can be a dominant force for the Cleveland Browns. Chubb has been one of most productive players in the NFL this season. The problem? In crucial situations Nick Chubb is not being used.

Chubb is one of the best running backs in the NFL and he is not being utilized when the team needs him most. It is baffling. The best NFL coaches know how to properly handle situations and know that they need to rely on their best players when the game is on the line. Kitchens is apparently unaware of this rather elementary coaching principle.

This week the Browns will add Kareem Hunt to their offense. With the decisions that Kitchens has made so far there is not necessarily a lot of hope for Hunt and Chubb to be used properly. Maybe all those halfback draw plays out of shotgun that were going to Dontrell Hilliard will now go to Kareem Hunt. Either way, there are more effective ways to run the ball.

Rashard Higgins continues to be absent

Rashard Higgins may not be the best wide receiver on the roster, but he is someone that Baker Mayfield clearly trusts. Antonio Callaway continues to play instead of Higgins and it is mind boggling. Granted, Callaway did make a few plays this past Sunday that may have built some trust between himself and Mayfield. However, there is still chemistry in the Mayfield to Higgins combination that is going unused. Higgins rotting on the bench is inexcusable when Baker is clearly struggling and the offense is eternally stuck in neutral.

Unless an unexpected turnaround occurs on the field and the team can win games they are supposed to win, Freddie Kitchens is not long for the Cleveland Browns.

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