[BillWunkle]

RETURN OF THE JEDI

Yesterday the Cleveland Browns released a statement officially announcing Andrew Berry as the team’s new General Manager and Executive Vice President of Football Operations. Anyone following the Browns search for a new GM could see this move coming, particularly after Vikings Assistant GM George Paton withdrew himself from being a candidate for the position. With this hire, Berry (age 32) becomes the youngest GM in NFL history.

In their statement to the press, Jimmy and Dee Haslam said, “We are thrilled Andrew will lead our football operations. We have always been profoundly impressed with him as a consummate professional who has meticulously studied his craft every place he has worked and is extremely dedicated to utilizing every resource to improve an organization and to enhance his own knowledge. He will be a tremendous partner with Kevin as he embraces the critical nature of his relationship with the head coach. We know he can’t wait to get to work.”

Barry also provided a statement for the press. “I’m honored and blessed to lead the Football Operations of the Cleveland Browns, I’m appreciative of the Haslam family for entrusting me to be a steward of a franchise that is so rich in tradition and history. The passion for football courses through the veins of Northeast Ohio in a manner that is unique to that of any other region. Our fan base’s devotion to the Browns is the catalyst for such affection for the sport. Rewarding YOU all—our loyal and faithful Dawg Pound—will energize and motivate me daily to attack the challenge ahead of us. It is for that reason that I am excited to partner with Kevin Stefanski—a coach I know our city will embrace because of his leadership skills, work ethic, humility and character—to work tirelessly and with immediate urgency toward building a winning organization that will make the people of Cleveland proud.”

And while some will sneer at the selection of Berry and bring up the fact that he was part of the Sashi Brown All-Ivy League front office that harvested a 1-31 record under then head coach Hue Jackson, let me remind you that this roster is much younger and more talented than the one that Brown inherited. This is a roster that, by all accounts, is ready to start winning. Under the Sashi Brown administration, Cleveland’s plan was to gut the team of older and overpaid players in order to acquire draft assets. It certainly didn’t help that a number of the selections that were made were abysmal failures, but let me remind you that Sash is a lawyer and not a “football” guy. Let me also remind you that, although Berry was a member of the organization, it was Sashi Brown who had the final say on player selection. How much of an influence Berry had in the room, I know not.

Andrew Berry, on the other hand, is a football guy. He was an All-Ivy League defensive back and a four year starter at Harvard. He also has obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in computer science while attending Harvard. His football career didn’t end after he graduated from college. His first NFL job was with the Indianapolis Colts as a scouting assistant from 2009-2010, then as a pro scout in 2011. In 2012 Berry was promoted to the position of Pro Scouting Coordinator, where he remained with the Colts through the 2015 season. In 2016 he was hired by the Browns to fill the position of Vice President of Player Personnel under Sashi Brown. He remained with the Cleveland Browns after Sashi Brown’s dismissal and worked with GM John Dorsey through the 2018 season. He then moved on in 2019 to become the Vice President of Football Operations for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he learned from their GM Howie Roseman.

One other aspect that peaked my interest is that, when asked about his style of leadership, Berry stated that he believes in “servant leadership”. Many of you may not be familiar with that term because it’s most often discussed in church circles and not in athletics. What it means in a nutshell is this . . . It’s not about me, it’s about the team. It’s about no task being beneath you. It’s about placing other first or ahead of your own ambitions. It’s not self seeking, nor is it full of pride, lust or greed; but rather humility, treating others with respect, courtesy and decency. It’s not about pointing fingers to lay blame on this person or that person; but rather how can we fix the situation together. It’s a message of unity, a message of not sowing discord among the brethren, of working together and in one mind and one accord – one purpose to reach a common goal.

Some will say that this is another classic Jimmy Haslam hire that will go down in a blaze of glory – much like the Hindenburg disaster of May 6, 1937. However, I for one am willing to give this current front office the opportunity to either succeed or fail before casting lots to divide their garments. That said, there are some issues that Berry and the Browns need to address . . .

Kareem Hunt: the troubled running back signed a one year contract in 2019 and was suspended for the first eight games last season due to violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. To complicate matters, Hunt was pulled over recently for a speeding violation. The officer at the scene also confiscated a small amount of marijuana. By all outward appearances, especially after seeing the TMZ video, this is not a good look to say the least; and the Browns may decide to sever ties with Hunt, in spite of his talent when he’s on the field. It’s also noteworthy that two of the elements of his support team, namely Freddie Kitchens and John Dorsey, are no longer with the organization.

Odell Beckham Jr: former GM John Dorsey gave up a lot to acquire him, and the results from his first season as a Cleveland Brown have been disappointing to say the least. I for one found it odd that he was here during the OTA portion of the preseason for his introductory press conference and for one practice session. This was time that he needed to be in the building, where he could learn the playbook and get his timing down with QB Baker Mayfield, as well as the rest of the receiver group. He did manage to accumulate 1000 receiving yards, but his TD total was quite disappointing. Even in game 16, Beckham was still lining up in the wrong spot on the field a number of times. Now word has it that Beckham played the entire 2019 season with a core muscle injury, for which he’s since undergone surgery to repair it. I see this as yet another excuse for Beckham to not attend OTA’s this year. At the very least, he should be in the building to actually learn the offensive playbook and be under the supervision the the team’s medical and training staffs; but I’m calling my shot in advance to say that Beckham will be a no-show. And then there’s the series of unfortunate events that took place the night of the FBS National Championship game. And while the are no remaining charges, Beckham’s behavior was an embarrassment to himself, his family, the Cleveland Browns and Browns fans, as well as the NFL. Odell Beckham Jr. continues to prove that he’s all about one thing and one thing only . . . Odell Beckham Jr.

Baker Mayfield: his level of play seriously digressed from 2018, but coach Stefanski has already publicly stated that he sees a few things that he can fix. I can only assume that this comes down to throwing mechanics, footwork and hot reads – as well as a few other things. His style of play at Oklahoma and in his rookie season will work well in the new offensive system – provided that Baker is willing to put in the work.

David Njoku (pronounced nuh-JO -koo): while he’s pretty much a physical freak and mismatch with either a LB or DB, his inconsistency at catching the football and inability to block in-line make his roster spot a huge question mark. While he’s still under contract, it’ll be interesting to see how the TE position as a group will be assessed and addressed this off-season.

The Fullback Position: this is an area that was virtually non-existent last year, but will be a major part of the Browns ability to run the football with head coach Kevin Stefanski bringing the Mike Shanahan / Gary Kubiak offensive scheme to Cleveland with him. As it turns out, the Browns yesterday signed FB Johnny Stanton to their 2020 futures roster. A former undrafted free agent in 2018, Stanton was on the Vikings practice squad last season. Quite frankly, I don’t know if this kid is the answer at the position; but at least he comes to Cleveland already familiar with the Browns new offensive scheme. Coach Stefanski is familiar with Stanton’s ability, so this could very well be a good roster move.

Rashard Higgins: in 2018 he was Baker Mayfield’s safety valve. In 2019 he found himself in Freddie Kitchen’s dog house for some unknown reason. 2019 was also the final year of his rookie contract with the Browns, and it remains uncertain whether or not the Browns will re-sign the 25 year-old wide receiver.

Joe Schobert: another veteran player entering free agency after completing the final year of his rookie contract. At age 26, he still has plenty of years left.

Damarius Randall: this Dorsey acquisition also fell out of favor with the former head coach the week of the second Steelers game. I suspect that Randall is looking for a big payday, so it’ll be interesting to see where the 28 year-old defensive back will land. Early odds are that it will not be in Cleveland for a second tour of duty.

Greg Robinson: another Dorsey acquisition whose play was up and down. As valuable as a quality left tackle is to the overall play of the offensive line; it’s suspected that, if Robinson does re-sign with Cleveland, it’ll be as a right tackle. His salary last year was 6.4 million, so it’ll be interesting to see how things develop for the 27 year-old offensive lineman.

Drew Stanton: the 36 year-old quarterback was paid 3.25 million last season to hold a clipboard and another voice of encouragement for Baker Mayfield. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Browns were to move on from Stanton and look for another backup quarterback via the free agent market – depending upon who might be available. Does anyone else think that Marcus Mariota would be a viable backup?

Eric Murray and Justin Burris: I’m placing these two together because their situation is very similar. Two defensive backs who played well when called upon, but have fulfilled their contract obligations to the organization. Both were paid under 750k last year. Again, it wouldn’t surprise me if one or both re-signed or if one or both signed elsewhere.

Restricted Free Agents: Like Kareem Hunt . . . G Justin McCray, DE Bryan Cox Jr. and TE Ricky Seals-Jones are all restricted free agents. Their 2019 salaries are such that it wouldn’t surprise me to see at least two of them on the 2020 roster.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents: WR Khadarel Hodge, RB Dontrell Hilliard and TE Pharoah Brown fall into this category. Again, it wouldn’t surprise me if – because of the dollars involved – if any or all of these players return in 2020.

TEAM NEEDS: As I see it, these are the areas in question concerning the roster: Defensive End – Olivier Vernon was virtually invisible due to poor play or injuries. This John Dorsey acquisition needs to (A) get and stay healthy and (B) play a full season with a fire under his tail. O-line in general needs some serious upgrades – particularly at the offensive tackle positions. While it’s not official, the Browns are apparently poised to hire Bill Callahan to be their O-line coach, which would be an excellent hire. Blocking TE – none of the TE’s on the current roster can block to save their soul. That will change this season. Defensive backfield – Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams will be fine – especially when in man coverage – but overall depth is a major concern. The Safety position also has its questions.

So, what do I really think of the hire? I have mixed thoughts about it, but I’m willing to give Berry and coach Stefanski a chance to prove themselves. While the roster has some question marks, the Browns do have four picks in the first three rounds. These picks, along with any free agent acquisitions, could be enough to help give the Browns their first winning season under the Haslam family ownership. Both the GM and head coach were signed to five-year contracts, but it remains to be seen whether the Haslams will be patient enough to allow the tandem to work for the Browns throughout the duration of their respective contracts. The Haslams’ track record in this area leaves a lot to be desired. Thus they could possibly find themselves in a position where they have no choice but to be patient; and in the end, that could be a good thing indeed.

Am I going mad, or did the word THINK escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic landmass!

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