Cleveland Browns 2022 off-season thread

[Los216]

I just think AVP will take over play calling bc KS will have confidence in him in doing so and let’s him focus on other areas of the team. Just a little bit of a shake up on the offensive side to get everyone in the same page again.

Who's not on the right page though? I don't think any of the coaches are on a different page. The WR's? TE's? RB's? O-line?

I think it's very obvious at this point that there is one guy specifically who is on a different page than everyone else and that guy is not good enough to dictate this much change. If it were up to that guy that I'm talking about we would trade our WR's and get new Tackles too right?

 

[bob2the2nd]

What does AVP calling plays change? Honestly. It's gonna be the same system with the same personnel. KS called the plays when Baker had that nice little 10 game stretch in 2020.

AVP called plays in one game. A game in which our defense got us a 20+ point lead against a PIT team that was reeling headed into the playoffs that year. Let's not act like PIT was on a roll going into that game. They sucked coming down the stretch that year. AVP was calling plays from the same playbook and for the life of me I'm failing to see what AVP did in that playoff game that KS hasn't already done with Baker.

It lets KS focus on being the head coach, versus the offensive playcaller and head coach. KS can still be the decision maker for when the team goes for it on 4th down (which he is great at), however the rest of the time it lets him focus on the rest of the team

 

[Los216]

Why does playing in a dome matter? Baker's arm strength is fine. His accuracy comes and goes regardless of whether he's inside or out. Is there another reason I'm missing?

Yes.

To this point in his career I have come to the conclusion that Baker Mayfield is a QB that needs to be in a specific situation to thrive. He has to have the right offense, personnel and playing conditions. Putting Baker in a dome for half a season absolutely helps with some of his limitations.

Do I think Baker can play in cold weather games? Sure I guess he can but if I had a choice I would want to see him play more games in a dome. If he goes to any of the three teams I mentioned then Baker is guaranteed to play at minimum 9 games every season in a dome. You don't think playing half his games in a dome had any effect on Drew Brees career? I think it had a very positive effect.

It's not so much about arm strength but more about putting a limited QB in the best position possible to succeed. Putting Baker in a dome for 9 games every season does that for him.

 

[PIP]

Watson's market being reset is huge. If MIA is out what are his top 3 destinations?

My pitch to Watson is simple…. The helmet… Man looks good in orange…

 

[Bkerr02]

It lets KS focus on being the head coach, versus the offensive playcaller and head coach. KS can still be the decision maker for when the team goes for it on 4th down (which he is great at), however the rest of the time it lets him focus on the rest of the team

Bingo. It has nothing to do with KS ability on play calling. It just allows him to focus on other things. It will still be a collaborative effort with the offensive coaches with the gameplan and such.

 

[BimboColesHair]

I said it in another thread but...I'd imagine some staff raiding will be happening in Minnesota. I want Klint Kubiak personally.

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend this unless he is your QB coach or an analyst.

 

[Los216]

It lets KS focus on being the head coach, versus the offensive playcaller and head coach. KS can still be the decision maker for when the team goes for it on 4th down (which he is great at), however the rest of the time it lets him focus on the rest of the team

So KS was fine calling plays in 2020 but now he needs to give play calling away and focus on other things when the only obvious regression has been QB play?

What happens if our QB play remains garbage with AVP calling the plays? Can KS even justify getting the play calling duties back?


I have not seen one legitimate reason for KS to give up play calling.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend this unless he is your QB coach or an analyst.

Well the Browns don't currently have a QB coach so....

Ultimately this is what I think will happen. The Browns and Baker/his reps will agree on a mutual split and they'll work together to find a good landing spot.

Right now there's three spots that make too much sense to me for a few different reasons.

NEW ORLEANS - THEY PLAY IN A DOME!!!! Sean Payton has had success with smaller QB and has been one of the best offensive schemers in the league for more than a decade. Probably the best to be honest. They have a hole at the QB position and Baker can easily fit right into their roster. I would expect us to make a move like this if we had a plan to acquire a QB who is not coming back from NO so no Winston/Simeon/Hill. So probably a Free Agent or trade for a veteran.

HOUSTON - THEY PLAY IN A DOME!!!!! Another hole at the QB position. Obviously we would want Watson in return. Baker goes back home to Texas. Their GM may or may not have already been interested in Baker when he was still in NE. They're probably gonna have a new coach in there too.

MINNESOTA - THEY PLAY IN A DOME!!!!!! They just fired their HC and GM. Kirk Cousins can slide right in for baker. Won't cost much draft capital. Kirk is already familiar with the offense and has had great success in it.

Those moves just seem like they wouldn't require much to get made. Aside from Watson waiving his NTC to come here of course.

New Orleans may want to make a move, but I doubt it, Jameis was very good for them last year.

Houston seems to have found something with their draft pick in Davis Mills. Dude was VERY good to end the year.

Minnesota seems to be going into a rebuild. Not sure why they would want to invest anything in a QB who is nearing either irrelevancy or a mega contract.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Well the Browns don't currently have a QB coach so....


New Orleans may want to make a move, but I doubt it, Jameis was very good for them last year.

Houston seems to have found something with their draft pick in Davis Mills. Dude was VERY good to end the year.

Minnesota seems to be going into a rebuild. Not sure why they would want to invest anything in a QB who is nearing either irrelevancy or a mega contract.

There you go.

Keep him away from calling plays.

Also, the Vikings aren't about to go into a rebuild.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

There you go.

Keep him away from calling plays.

Also, the Vikings aren't about to go into a rebuild.

They fired their GM and HC and are expecting to compete next year?

 

[AZ_]

There you go.

Keep him away from calling plays.

Also, the Vikings aren't about to go into a rebuild.

Where do the odds stack up with respect to a GM/HC hire?

Hard to say there won't be a ton of turnover with a new regime coming in, but they do have a pretty stable crop of young talent on that roster that helps ease any transition.

 

[BimboColesHair]

They fired their GM and HC and are expecting to compete next year?

That has nothing to do with the guys on the field though.

Wouldn't surprise me if the new coach/GM wants to try to catch lightning in a bottle. As they stand they are far too talented and will still be next year to truly "rebuild", not even factoring in Cousins.

Unless they trade or cut half of their roster, including guys on rookie deals, it will be impossible for this team to be anything less than mediocre like they were this season.

 

[prf100]

That has nothing to do with the guys on the field though.

Wouldn't surprise me if the new coach/GM wants to try to catch lightning in a bottle. As they stand they are far too talented and will still be next year to truly "rebuild", not even factoring in Cousins.

Unless they trade or cut half of their roster it will be impossible for this team to be anything less than mediocre like they were this season.

It also makes good sense simply because keeping the existing QB buys another year to execute a larger strategy. The second the QB gets replaced with a preferred choice (like a highly drafted QB), the clock starts ticking on a GM's job.

 

[CBBI]

So KS was fine calling plays in 2020 but now he needs to give play calling away and focus on other things when the only obvious regression has been QB play?

What happens if our QB play remains garbage with AVP calling the plays? Can KS even justify getting the play calling duties back?


I have not seen one legitimate reason for KS to give up play calling.

The Browns hired Kevin Stefanski for many reasons, but certainly in no small part because they liked his play calling, scheme design and play stacking execution in Minnesota.

The Browns had the 9th ranked DVOA offense with Stefanski calling plays in 2020.

The Browns had the 14th ranked DVOA offense with Stefanski calling plays in 2021, only they had bottom 7 QB play all year.

And some people want to replace him as the play caller because the quarterback was bad?

It's some of the most nonsensical bullshit I've ever heard.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Where do the odds stack up with respect to a GM/HC hire?

Hard to say there won't be a ton of turnover with a new regime coming in, but they do have a pretty stable crop of young talent on that roster that helps ease any transition.

Even if they move off some of their vets on 2nd or 3rd contracts, the younger guys on rookie deals who would most likely replace them aren't exactly trash. Trade Cook, he's replaced by Mattison on the last year of a rookie deal who has already shown he could start in this league when Cook is out. Trade Thielen, he's replaced by KJ Osborn who just put up 700/7 seeing like 60% of the offensive snaps. Have a promising LT on a rookie deal, a good young RT on a long term deal, obviously one of the best young WRs in the game, and they get their highly regarded TE back next year who was going to take the next step this year before injury in Irv Smith.

Just hard to see them moving enough talent to truly be bad enough to "rebuild". Can't rebuild in mediocrity.