The Cleveland Browns lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, ending their regular season with a paltry 3-14 record. This is a stark contrast compared to last season when they went 11-6 and made the playoffs.
More news: Browns Bench Quarterback Bailey Zappe Before First Quarter Ends
Considering the team experienced a horrible turnaround, it was believed that the organization would look to completely revamp it coaching staff and more. The first domino of that rumored plan has already been pushed, as offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey has been fired.
Cleveland wasted no time following the conclusion of their season by relieving Dorsey of his duties just one season after joining the team. He formerly worked for the Buffalo Bills, where he ran the offense for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Dorsey had been a high-profile hire by the Browns, especially with how he helped the Bills turn into a dynamite offense behind quarterback Josh Allen. However, that same level of expertise did not catch on with Cleveland.
The Browns were a mess from the start. Deshaun Watson was finally healthy before the season began, but couldn’t get much going. Star running back Nick Chubb remained on IR due to a serious knee injury he sustained early on in the 2023 season.
Eventually, Watson suffered a season-ending injury of his own halfway through the season, tearing his Achilles. Without a franchise quarterback, the Browns used Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and most recently Bailey Zappe.
Dorsey had little to work with, but the team simply couldn’t win. They lost six of their first seven games and were on a six-game losing streak to end the season.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski might be next in line to be let go, as he has posted a 40-44 record in the five seasons he has led the team. Only two seasons resulted in a winning record and playoff berth.
The Browns might also let go of general manager Andrew Berry, leading to a complete rebuild. It would make sense considering the level of talent the team has, but is being improperly used.
Hopefully, the potential next GM, head coach, and offensive coordinator can help turn this team around. At the very least, the Browns will now pick somewhere in the top three of the 2025 NFL Draft.
That is likely to mean they will aim to land a high-level quarterback prospect like Miami quarterback Cam Ward, or Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Either way, this team needs a new plan.
Watson will return to the team in 2025 and restructured his contract to do so. However, many believe that he will be involved in a quarterback competition to win the starting job.
Browns Will Have Deshaun Watson Compete For Starting Quarterback Role in 2025: Report
A quarterback competition isn’t all the surprising, but it does seem a bit odd. The Browns should draft a rookie quarterback and get them ready to go to start in 2025. Watson is a proven veteran, but he has proven that he is not the same Pro Bowl passer he was when with the Houston Texans.
Should the Browns let go of Stefanski and Berry, the next GM and head coach will inherit an organization that needs some serious changes. The good news is players like Chubb, Myles Garrett, and Jerry Jeudy are strong building blocks to build around.
The biggest issue is a franchise quarterback is desperately needed.
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