Andrew Berry is the next general manager of the Cleveland Browns and he will have a lot of things that need to be addressed this offfseason.
The Cleveland Browns will have a large amount of turnover this offseason. Possibly more than in previous years. This could be due to the newly implanted alignment of Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry, and Paul DePodesta versus the previous method of talent collection of John Dorsey. Dorsey compiled a collection of talent, but they were not a team. There was not necessarily a particular vision that Dorsey was working towards, it was all about talent. You can put together the greatest collection of talent ever seen, but if they do not fit it will not matter. Talent can only go so far, at some point they need to be coached and put in a position to win. This has not happened in Cleveland for quite some time.
This is the problem Cleveland faced. There were pieces that did not fit and were led by someone who had no idea what he was doing. This is a terrible combination and ultimately led to their failure. DePodesta will work with Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry to put their imprint on their roster. Andrew Berry has full control of the 53-man roster per reports, but Paul DePodesta will still have an influence on the direction the team heads in. Determining which players fit their vision will dictate who stays and who goes. This means players who may be talented who do not fit may be on their way out.
Supplementing and improving the roster
This goes without saying. Every team has roster turnover. The Cleveland Browns are a team that seems likely to have more than others. A major shift in front office philosophy will see certain players leaving and new types of players coming to town.
Offensive tackles
Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard were objectively awful in 2019. Before the Browns can even start thinking about how they will put together their offensive scheme, they need to upgrade the tackle position as soon as possible. Cleveland cannot come back with Robinson and Hubbard or players of similar quality. This is the first position that must be improved before anything else is handled.
Defensive line depth
Outside the starting defensive lineman, there is nothing really to be all that excited about on the Browns offensive line. Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi, Sheldon Richardson, and Oliver Vernon are great. Whether that starting four remains intact is a different story. Either way, talent needs to be added beyond the starting group. What was seen from the backup defensive lineman when the team was without Garrett and Vernon was far from encouraging.
Fullback
The Cleveland Browns signed a fullback, Johnny Stanton formerly of the Minnesota Vikings. Stanton was signed to a reserves/future contract. With the change in offense, a fullback will now be included in their scheme. Signing Stanton is just step one in the process. Whether or not he makes the team is a different story.
What needs to be considered when adding a previously neglected position back into the mix is that they don’t just need one fullback. They need two. Cleveland needs to have a starter and a backup. Stanton could be either, but another will need to be added before next season starts.
There are only so many fullbacks available at any certain time. Not many are in the league to begin with and even less come through the draft. Cleveland may have to overdraft or overpay in order to properly address the fullback position.
Determining the roster status of players that may be on their way out
This a part of every offseason. This offseason could see a lot more turnover for a multitude of reasons. Certain players have rather high salaries and their production may not equal their current contract. Then there are players who do not align with their vision of the new front office. Finally, there are players that the team may decide they are better off moving on from rather than dealing with their distractions.
The elephant in the room that is Odell Beckham Jr.
Where to start? Odell Beckham Jr. had himself quite the time in New Orleans didn’t he? The new regime may decide that they are better off without the distractions that Beckham can bring to a team. The front office will have to weigh contract and production against what they view as headaches. Beckham is extremely talented, but they may opt to go in a different direction for a multitude of reasons.
Jarvis Landry will probably want out if Odell Beckham Jr. is gone
If the Browns move on from Odell Beckham Jr., they might as well move on from Jarvis Landry as well. Trading Landry’s best friend will not sit well and will definitely lead to some frustration on his part. Add this to the evaluation of Landry in their eyes and he may be on his way out too. It is not about the player, it is about his contract versus his production. Many complain that it is too much to pay the second receiver on the roster.
Kareem Hunt
Many heralded the acquisition of Kareem Hunt. A talented, yet troubled running back who John Dorsey took a chance on, again. Dorsey took the risk of signing Hunt without having to give up anything besides money. This being the only cost may have been all the motivation Dorsey needed in his somewhat reckless quest to improve the roster. Not having to give up a draft pick to his former team to sign Hunt very well could have been the deciding factor.
Hunt was on the free agent market due to his repeated off the field incidents. Now there is a new incident with Hunt being pulled over with marijuana and an open container of alcohol being found in his car. This move seems like a no-brainer. Cut him loose and move forward.
Evaluating their own pending free agents
The status of pending free agents will give everyone a clear picture when it comes to their vision. Will they keep Joe Schobert? What about Damarious Randall? How about Rashard Higgins? All three are due to become free agents and could easily find themselves in a new uniform next season. Analytics love Schobert and Higgins and that may lead to the Browns doing what they can to keep them in Cleveland. Randall will probably end up looking for a fresh start somewhere else.
Things are not going to be quick or easy
This new plan of alignment the Cleveland Browns are embarking on is going to take some time. It is not an easy fix or a quick fix. An overnight turnaround should not be the expectation. There is a lot of work to do. Swapping out the coaching staff and general manager will not make the immediate impact that some expect. The team still has a lot of problems from top to bottom. Putting together a new regime is just step one in a very lengthy process.
