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Browns HC Kevin Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry Not In Danger Of Being Fired

December 2nd, 2023 at 10:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 season has not gone according to plan for the Browns from an injury perspective, but the team is in a playoff spot entering Week 13. As a result, the job security for head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry is not a talking point.

Both entered the season with considerable expectations given the strength of Cleveland’s roster, and the annual regression in the win-loss department which had taken place during their three-year tenures. However, season-ending injuries to the likes of running back Nick Chubb and, more recently, quarterback Deshaun Watson have not prevented a 7-4 start and the strong chance of a postseason berth. The team’s success so far has chased away the possibility of a change on the sideline or in the front office.

Both Stefanski and Berry are “here to stay,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). The former earned Coach of the Year honors in 2020 after leading the team to a record of 11-5 and making it to the divisional round of the playoffs. A step back to 8-9 followed, though, along with a 7-10 mark in 2022, the first year with Watson at the helm (though his suspension delayed his Browns debut until Week 12 during that campaign). That regression led some to believe the heat could quickly increase on the Stefanski-Berry regime barring improvements.

No coaching change took place this past offseason, to no surprise, and Stefanski’s coaching performance in 2023 has likewise unsurprisingly earned him a longer leash. The Browns are tied to the decision to acquire Watson – a move which included a trade package of three first-round picks followed by a fully guaranteed $230MM contract – and the repercussions which will come from it. The former Texans Pro Bowler has not lived up to expectations so far in Cleveland, but the team’s ability to win without him in the lineup or playing to his previous level when on the field has drawn rave reviews.

That will continue to be tested as Joe Flacco is set to start in Week 13 with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson sidelined. Adding the veteran late in the season could prove to be a shrewd move if it allows the Browns to continue winning with a severely shorthanded offense and push for a postseason berth in the crowded AFC. Even if that does not prove to be the case, though, both Stefanski and Berry appear to have earned themselves extra leeway heading into the offseason.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/2/23

December 2nd, 2023 at 4:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s gameday callups and minor moves heading into Sunday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Chiefs have ruled out running back Jerick McKinnon for tomorrow’s game against the Packers, necessitating some extra depth at the position. The team will turn to Prince, an undrafted free agent who has spent the entire season on Kansas City’s practice squad. Prince had a breakout season at Tulsa in 2022, finishing with 813 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns.

Winfrey, a 2022 fourth-round pick, was cut by the Browns last July after being investigated for pulling a gun on a woman. He joined the Jets practice squad in early November and will finally earn his first promotion of the season. Winfrey got into 13 games for Cleveland last year, collecting 22 tackles and 0.5 sacks.

At age 36, Irvin will be making his debut for a sixth NFL team. The veteran pass rusher signed with Detroit midway through November and will finally have a chance to extend his streak of regular season appearances to 12 straight years. The only absence on the Lions’ front-seven will be linebacker Alex Anzalone, so Detroit may be looking to stand Irvin up to help the team’s depth at linebacker.

 

Injury Updates: Garrett, Bengals, Etienne, Dolphins

December 2nd, 2023 at 12:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett likely suffered some structural damage in his left shoulder, an injury that was aggravated during last weekend’s loss. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, it’s uncertain if the injury will even require surgery, and Garrett is determined to continue playing this season.

“I feel terrible,” Garrett said following Sunday’s loss to the Broncos. “Everything hurts, shoulder hurts. But we’ve got to keep on going, keep on rolling till the wheels fall off. We’re having great success and enjoying how this team is really coming together, especially down the stretch. And we’re going to continue to keep on working hard to be fresh and fit whenever we get to Sunday.”

Garrett said he felt a pop in his shoulder during the game, but he also admitted that he’s been dealing with a shoulder issue for the entire season. The injury could be attributed to the AC joint sprain Garrett suffered last season, or it could be an entirely new injury, with Cabot speculating that the pass rusher may be dealing with a partial dislocation.

The former first-overall pick is on track to earn another All-Pro nod in 2022. In 11 games, Garrett has collected 13 sacks, 23 QB hits, and 12 tackles for loss.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • The Bengals got some good news on both sides of the ball ahead of Monday Night Football. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Bengals wideout Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson will play against the Jaguars. Higgins has missed the past three games while dealing with a hamstring injury, while Wilson is recovering from an ankle injury suffered last weekend. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news in Cincinnati. After suffering a sprained ankle at practice this week, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt will not play on Monday night, per Schefter.
  • On the other side, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said he’s expecting running back Travis Etienne to play on Monday night, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. Etienne suffered a rib injury last weekend that briefly forced him to exit the game, and he’s been practicing on a limited basis throughout the week. If he is sidelined on Monday, the Jaguars would lean on D’Ernest Johnson and rookie Tank Bigsby.
  • De’Von Achane is expected to play for the Dolphins this weekend, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. After returning from a knee injury in time for Week 11, the running back was once again sidelined with the issue for Week 12. Meanwhile, Terron Armstead said he intends to play this weekend despite suffering a quadriceps injury on Black Friday. It was initially thought that the offensive tackle could miss multiple weeks, so this is an encouraging update for the Dolphins offense.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/1/23

December 1st, 2023 at 7:51pm CST by Ely Allen

The first minor transactions of December:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Long gets waived from the Panthers’ roster just a week after starting for them against the Titans. Long, who was claimed off of waivers about a month ago, has not been a regular starter in Carolina but was forced into action due to the injury absences of C.J. Henderson and Jaycee Horn. With both players nearing their return, and the recent waiver claim of Shaquill Griffin, the Panthers decided to bring up Strachan instead holding onto Long. The big-bodied receiver had one catch for 45 yards as a practice squad callup earlier this year.

Woods has received a six-game suspension for an incident that took place this summer in which he violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Woods has already missed the entire season up until now on the reserve/non-football injury list after tearing his Achilles tendon back in April. While the Browns hoped for the possibility of a late-season return, this newest development guarantees that Woods will miss the entire 2023-24 season.

Browns Bump Joe Flacco To QB2; Dorian Thompson-Robinson Out For Week 13

December 1st, 2023 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 1: The Browns’ Flacco signing will lead to a start. Cleveland has ruled out Thompson-Robinson, who remains in concussion protocol. Stefanski confirmed Friday that Flacco will start against the Rams. This will be Flacco’s 181st career start; the Browns will be the fourth team to turn to the veteran as its first-stringer.

NOVEMBER 30: Hoping to play a 16th season, Joe Flacco expressed interest in another Jets contract after the team lost Aaron Rodgers. As the Jets balked and ended up only adding Trevor Siemian in the wake of Rodgers’ Achilles tear, Flacco remained a free agent until last week. He is now on team No. 5, signing with the Browns shortly after their Week 11 game.

Some early work may be ahead for the 38-year-old passer. Although the Browns turned to P.J. Walker — their primary Deshaun Watson replacement this season — after Dorian Thompson-Robinson‘s Week 12 concussion, they have been expected to move Flacco into the backup role. That has already taken place, with Kevin Stefanski indicating Flacco has moved past Walker and into the QB2 spot for the 7-4 team.

That promotion carries more significance presently. Thompson-Robinson, who has started the past two Browns games, remains in concussion protocol following the hit he took from Broncos outside linebacker Baron Browning. Flacco was inactive for that game, having arrived in Cleveland days earlier. The Browns have seen enough to demote Walker once again. While the Browns managed to go 2-1 with Walker as their primary QB this season, he has completed fewer than 49% of his passes and left Denver with a 1-to-5 TD-INT ratio.

Thompson-Robinson did not practice Thursday, and his window to return in time for Week 13 is narrowing. If he remains in concussion protocol for the Browns’ game against the Rams, Flacco would be in line to become Cleveland’s fourth starting QB this season and 37th (h/t cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) since the franchise rebooted in 1999. Flacco faced the Browns 21 times from 2008-22. The ex-Ravens mainstay’s most recent outing in Cleveland produced a come-from-behind Jets win — in a Week 2 game in which Flacco threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns.

Flacco has made 180 career starts. Best known for a Ravens run that lasted 12 years — during which he collected Super Bowl XLVII MVP honors — the 2008 first-rounder also made starts for the Broncos and Jets. Last season in New York, Flacco received the call to start the season in place of an injured Zach Wilson. The veteran ultimately made four starts, including Week 18. He finished the year with 1,051 yards, a 5-3 TD-INT ratio and a 57.1% completion rate — at just 5.5 yards per attempt.

This development marks yet another QB2 change for the Browns. The team re-signed Josh Dobbs to back up Watson but traded the veteran to the Cardinals, seeing enough progress from Thompson-Robinson in his first training camp. Cleveland then demoted Thompson-Robinson after a woeful first start, which came on short notice against a strong Ravens defense in Week 4, for Walker — a late-summer pickup following the Dobbs trade. The hierarchy now sits DTR-Flacco-Walker, with Thompson-Robinson having already resided in all three spots on Cleveland’s depth chart.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

December 1st, 2023 at 1:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Week 13 underway, the picture at the top of the NFL draft board continues to become clearer. Plenty is yet to be determined with respect to the top of the order, however.

The Panthers’ ongoing struggles led to Frank Reich‘s firing, but the Bears own Carolina’s top pick this year due to the 2023 swap which landed Bryce Young via the No. 1 selection. Chicago being able to have the top pick once again – coupled with their own selection landing in the top-10 – would make the Bears a team to watch closely come April. The race for the top two or three slots (and, as such, the ability to draft QBs Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, along with wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.) will also be a key late-season storyline for the Cardinals and Patriots.

The Commanders have lost three straight games, overshadowing a promising season from first-year starter Sam Howell. After deciding to move on from defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat at the trade deadline, the team’s defense has continued to struggle. DC Jack Del Rio is out as a result, and head coach Ron Rivera‘s position is not believed to be on strong footing. A top-five pick could make the job in Washington more attractive presuming a opening arises this offseason.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Arizona Cardinals: 2-10
  3. New England Patriots: 2-9
  4. Chicago Bears: 4-8
  5. Washington Commanders: 4-8
  6. New York Giants: 4-8
  7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-7
  8. New York Jets: 4-7
  9. Los Angeles Chargers: 4-7
  10. Tennessee Titans: 4-7
  11. Las Vegas Raiders: 5-7
  12. New Orleans Saints: 5-6
  13. Green Bay Packers: 5-6
  14. Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
  15. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-6
  16. Buffalo Bills: 6-6
  17. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  18. Denver Broncos: 6-5
  19. Atlanta Falcons: 5-6
  20. Minnesota Vikings: 6-6
  21. Seattle Seahawks: 6-6
  22. Indianapolis Colts: 6-5
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-4
  24. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  25. Miami Dolphins: 8-3
  26. Detroit Lions: 8-3
  27. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-3
  28. Dallas Cowboys: 9-3
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-3
  30. San Francisco 49ers: 8-3
  31. Baltimore Ravens: 9-3
  32. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-1

AFC North Rumors: Bengals, Battle, Watson, Steelers

November 26th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals have already announced that starting quarterback Joe Burrow‘s season is over after he suffered a thumb ligament tear. The only information left to report on Burrow’s situation is that he is set to undergo wrist surgery tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The expectation is that Burrow will be able to make a full recovery in time for the 2024 season.

On the administrative side of things, Rapoport also reports that the league is “investigating if Cincinnati should have listed Burrow on its injury report prior to” the game in which he seemingly suffered the season-ending injury. The night before the team’s matchup in Baltimore, Burrow was shown on a team social media post with an apparatus on his right wrist before the post was taken down. That same wrist is the one receiving surgery tomorrow. Rapoport says that the Bengals have “turned in hours of footage to the NFL showing that Burrow was healthy prior to the game.” The team’s doctors claim that the injury was acute and not one that happened over time.

The team opted to run Burrow’s offense and playbook in Jake Browning‘s first career start. The Bengals coaches had full confidence in Browning running the offense but still planned to run the ball a bit more than usual to take some pressure off his shoulders. Browning and the Bengals would lose to Pittsburgh, but Browning would complete 19 of 26 pass attempts for 227 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The plan to run the ball a bit more fell through as limited possession time and offensive success led to only 11 carries.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North, staying in Cincinnati for a beat:

  • Another position for the Bengals experienced a change in starter as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo announced rookie third-round pick Jordan Battle as the team’s starting strong safety over Nick Scott earlier this week, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. Scott still had a role in today’s game but played a clear second fiddle to Battle. Asked what about Battle made him the choice at starter, Anarumo claimed it was his tackling ability.
  • Another AFC North starting quarterback underwent surgery for their season-ending injury as the Browns‘ Deshaun Watson had a procedure done on his shoulder earlier this week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Watson is expected to be healed in time to start the 2024 season.
  • A big story in the struggles of the Steelers’ offense this year has been the frustration of wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Those frustrations reportedly boiled over after last week’s loss to the Browns, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, leading to a heated argument with star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that needed to be broken up by teammates Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt. Johnson only had two catches on the day and was visibly upset on the sideline as he engaged in an animated conversation with head coach Mike Tomlin. Johnson’s annoyance would continue as he was later seen “chirping” at the coaches all the way to the locker room after the game before being confronted by Fitzpatrick. Perhaps the firing of former offensive coordinator Matt Canada helped to cool Johnson down, as Johnson received eight targets today.

Browns Notes: Ward, Thompson-Robinson, Cooper, DL

November 26th, 2023 at 8:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns suffered a loss in Denver today as they continued to deal with significant injuries on both sides of the ball. The team was without star cornerback Denzel Ward to start today’s game after the veteran failed to rally for a second straight week, but they’ll hope that his absence doesn’t extend too far past today.

Ward was able to tough it out last week for a divisional matchup against the Steelers after suffering a neck injury in the prior week’s win over Baltimore. Unfortunately, for Cleveland Ward’s ailments would pile up as he would sustain an unrelated shoulder injury against Pittsburgh. Despite suffering a second injury, Ward was able to finish the game last week.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the shoulder injury could potentially keep Ward out for a couple of weeks. The team doesn’t believe that it will require a stay on injured reserve, though, and hope that he’ll be able to make a comeback as soon as next week.

Here are a few other injury updates for the ailing Browns:

  • The hits to Cleveland’s quarterbacks room keep coming as new rookie starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson was forced to leave today’s game with a concussion, per ESPN’s Jake Trotter. The team had not yet activated recent quarterback signee Joe Flacco, so they were required to turn to P.J. Walker as Thompson-Robinson’s backup. Thompson-Robinson may be able to clear concussion protocols in time to start next week’s contest in Los Angeles, but the Browns may need to call up Flacco in order to serve as either a new backup or potentially even a starter if Thompson-Robinson can’t play.
  • Leading wide receiver Amari Cooper was also forced out of today’s loss after suffering a rib injury. Luckily, the X-rays on Cooper’s ribs returned negative, according to Trotter, but bruised ribs can be a nagging injury in football. Cooper’s status on the injury report will be something to watch in the coming week.
  • As if all the above wasn’t enough, the Browns saw two more injuries of note today, these to their defensive line. Firstly, and perhaps most troublingly, Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Myles Garrett was seen with his left arm in a sling after today’s contest. Garrett reportedly “felt something pop in his shoulder” today, per Cabot, necessitating the sling. According to Trotter, he told reporters that he doesn’t know how significant the injury may be but that he “will get scans in LA.” The team also saw starting defensive tackle Jordan Elliott leave today’s game with an ankle injury. The Browns will hope that Elliott’s injury is a minor one and that they will be able to catch a break from the constant string of recent maladies.

Latest On Browns, QB Joe Flacco

November 25th, 2023 at 9:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns’ search for a veteran quarterback in the wake of Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending absence resulted in Joe Flacco being added. The latter boasts substantially more experience in the NFL than Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker, the passers he is now competing with on the depth chart.

While Flacco was signed (to the team’s practice squad, at first) to offer a higher floor as a backup compared to Walker, the veteran will not be in uniform for Week 12. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com notes Flacco will likely find himself second in the QB pecking order relatively soon, but it will again be a Thompson-Robinson-Walker tandem on Sunday. The Browns elected not to make Flacco a gameday elevation, confirming those short-term plans.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski quickly confirmed Thompson-Robinson would continue as the Browns’ starter in the wake of the Flacco signing (h/t ESPN’s Jake Trotter). The rookie has put up far from spectacular numbers in his two starts so far (55% completion percentage, zero touchdowns, four interceptions), but his play in preseason earned him the No. 2 role behind Watson and his familiarity with the offense obviously far outpaces that of Flacco. The latter was Cleveland’s top target for a midseason addition, though.

On that point, Tony Grossi of ESPN 850 reports the Browns were satisfied not only with Flacco’s arm strength but also his mobility. The former Super Bowl MVP was never known for being fleet of foot in his prime, so at the age of 38 expectations in that department will no doubt be tempered. Still, it is notable he managed to draw positive reviews from the team’s evaluation as a street free agent in his bid to continue what is now a 16-year career. It will be interesting to see how quickly Flacco manages to get a look as the backup.

Walker’s performances in that capacity (should he get the opportunity to play in the near future) will of course play a role in Cleveland’s decision at the QB spot. Given his inexperience and level of play so far, Thompson-Robinson also has far from a firm grip on the starter’s role at this point. For at least one more week, though, he will reside atop the depth chart while Flacco’s acclimation period and the changes it could bring about will be a storyline to watch for the Browns’ offense.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/23

November 25th, 2023 at 6:30pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves and callups for Week 12’s Sunday slate:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

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