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2023 Browns Offseason Thread: Tamper Time Is Upon Us

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On the Lovie matter: Interesting he was chopped rather quickly, and I can't help but be reminded that someone that used to play for that team once loudly criticized them for their hiring practices....

Anyway, here's my continued post-mortem:
I see a lot of sentiment that if only the Browns had a fiery coach that the players would run through the wall for, their record would be better.
I think coach's demeanor is only mildly important in this regard. They gotta be competent first. I think Stefanski is that, I do not think that is true of the defensive staff.

The Browns rebuild which came under Stefanski really hit their "Detroit Lions" moment 2 years ago, in the COVID season. In the playoffs finally, beat the Stoolers 2x to end the season (capitalizing on the Big Ben decline), essentially jobbed by the refs out of the Chiefs game, but still had a chance to win.

People had them in the AFC Championship over a team like Buffalo, who I felt was moving along far better than the Browns in that regard.
We all saw what happened. Defense was ass (again), Baker Mayfield had his worst season ever with the Browns, and now the Browns had some hard decisions to make. They had to do something about the QB situation. Baker put a ceiling on the team's forward success, and he was just about due for an extension. The Browns either had to let Baker "prove it" for a season and draft someone (and this past draft, I can't think of anyone outside of Pickett who looked like they could make it through a game that actually played this season). Or see who was available in free agency. Didn't think the Browns had a chance or would even land Deshaun Watson (especially with the circus surrounding him) but they did. OK. The QB situation is essentially handled. While some will quibble about the money in that contract, the Browns were faced with having to do that anyway unless they found a rookie QB they liked, essentially rebuilding all over again. Give me a QB who is similarly aged, with All-Pro pedigree in that situation rather than the alternative.

The aforementioned circus had the Browns without their star QB for 11 games, so that essentially was the kiss of death. Besides acquiring Amari Cooper on the cheap (a deal I do 10 times out of 10), there wasn't much to write home about. The mercenary Jadeveon Clowney came back, but that's just about all they did on defense besides injury replacement. The season could have been more, but the defense said otherwise. Winnable games were dropped to the Jets, the Falcons, and the Chargers because of it. Given the way the rest of the season went, that's good enough for 10 games alone (In at least 4 games, 3 of them against AFC North opponents, the refs also had say in that). When the star QB came in, he largely looked like a guy who had missed 2 years of football, but also showed much more promise and a genuine upgrade from QBs past. His entry coincided with the decline of the offensive line, and coaching that wanted to ease the QB into getting the timing right among other things. Same process with the venerable Jacoby Brissett (a decision that the Browns should be happy they made, else this season would have been even uglier).

The screws are tightened, and as usual, the Steelers found a way to make lemonade out of piss. Baltimore looks like they're tanking, and those damn Bungles look like an AFC North Power with Home Alone at QB. Tough scene for the Browns. But all hope is not lost. Some very key talent is retained, and the front office will have to make their own lemonade with suboptimal ingredients. Atop that, whatever team comes out of this offense will have to adopt a "Browns Vs The World" mentality. They're up against a largely sanctimonious media who will micromanage their every move, competing in an overloaded AFC that is only getting better, and will be facing even worse officiating that they will need to outscore or otherwise neutralize.

TL-DR: Browns had their moment 2 years ago; it blew up in their face, and they've gone through the gauntlet trying to return to that high point. If anything, that big ass contract given Deshaun bought them sometime that they would not have had otherwise. Fix the damn defense and Cleveland will prosper. It's like the Cavs. Find a wing, and the team will prosper. Fix the defense, and the team will prosper. Fuck the haters.
 
Step one is complete.

I’m looking for a more proven defensive coordinator. Somebody who can look Myles, Ward, etc. in the eye and say, “this is what I’ve done”.

Browns only have Callahan as a prominent coach with that sort of weight to throw around. I’d like another.

Ironically, with all of the Tomlin comparison, he had that exact type of guy for a very long time as he came into his own.

Edit: that’s obviously perfect world. I want the best candidate for our team first and the guy who will get the most out of the talent here. That should go without saying.
 
I can't wait to see the incredible defense the next DC brings when he also has no LBs or DTs worth a shit. Yes, it was time for Woods to go, but I also don't see much improvement happening when the GM thinks the middle of the field can be cobbled together from the waiver wire and taxi squads.
 
I'm on board with the guys like Evero, Schwartz, etc.

My #1 wish is still Vic Fangio (technically my #1 wish would be Nick Saban, but he's not leaving Alabama to be a DC in the NFL)
 
macbdog said:
I can't wait to see the incredible defense the next DC brings when he also has no LBs or DTs worth a shit. Yes, it was time for Woods to go, but I also don't see much improvement happening when the GM thinks the middle of the field can be cobbled together from the waiver wire and taxi squads.
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I think a lot of people agree that both things can be true: our DTs and LBs are lacking, and we need a new voice/direction on defense.
 
SuperSurge said:
I think a lot of people agree that both things can be true: our DTs and LBs are lacking, and we need a new voice/direction on defense.
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I think 1-tech, right end, MLB, SAM, and safety next to Delpit are all lacking--as well as depth at nearly every position.

We 100% need (and are getting) a new voice/direction on defense.

I don't think we have to solve all of those above issues. NFL rosters are triage. You have limited resource allocation, so use it to improve the most important areas.

I'm more okay with going into another season with guys like Walker, Philips, Deion Jones, Takitaki playing LB next to JOK than I am watching Jordan Elliott trot out there as a starting DT.
 
For me, better defensive line play will elevate the rest of the defense even if other positions mostly stay the same. And I wouldn’t mind having a DC who schemes up better ways of getting to the QB more regularly. I liked when they moved Myles around. A healthy JOK should also provide opportunities for some interesting blitzes
 
Real Deal said:
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Browns Defense in 2023...

So, it seems we're at consensus that Joe Woods will be fired at some point before the 2023 season starts. That means the Browns will need a new Defensive Coordinator. Who should it be? Who do you want it to be? Who is even available? Who is the next DeMeco Ryans? What players should AB...
realcavsfans.com realcavsfans.com
 
Forget where I saw it, but the Browns ability to never put a good season together is only matched by the Detroit Lions.

Since 2000, the Browns have appeared in 3 playoff games, tied for last with Detroit.

Teams I normally think of as "bad" like Washington (6), Jacksonville (6), and Houston (10) have actually shown the ability to run into a good season from time to time.

Jfc get it together.
 
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