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- Sashi Brown laments franchise’s ‘rash of change’ under Haslam ownership (Beacon Journal) - Sashi Brown likely believes the Browns would be in a better place if owner Jimmy Haslam’s allegiances had been different. The former vice president of football operations might wish that Haslam had listened to chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta sooner.
- Kevin Stefanski could have less use for a No. 3 receiver than the Browns did in 2019 (cleveland.com) - Even as fans clamored for more playing time for Rashard Higgins last season, it was clear that the passing game had little room for more than Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. There’s a good chance that will remain the same under Kevin Stefanski.
- Joel Bitonio impressed by Kevin Stefanski (clevelandbrowns.com) - Surrounded by some of the most talented players in the NFL at this week’s Pro Bowl, Joel Bitonio acknowledged Thursday “I’ve got my feelers out” as he learns more and more about his new head coach.
- What avenue will Kevin Stefanski take in building his offensive coaching staff? (The Athletic) - Kevin Stefanski acknowledged Wednesday night that he might not hire an offensive coordinator. Which would be interesting. It’s important to note that nothing has been decided. The new Browns coach is still in the hiring weeds.
NFL:
- Zac Taylor on QB preference: ‘I want a winner, that’s it’ (NFL.com) - The Bengals are on the clock. How long they’ll remain there in earnest is the question. The front office has maintained it has yet to make a decision on what it will do with the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The expectation, of course, is Cincinnati will draft a quarterback. After losing more games than any team in the NFL in 2019, rookie coach Zac Taylor is very clear on what he’s looking for from that position.
- Eli Manning’s Hall of Fame case (ESPN) - The Eli Manning-Pro Football Hall of Fame debate can rage on. Until 2025 at least. Debates have been the story of Manning’s 16-year NFL career. There always seemed to be something about the New York Giants quarterback, with his “aw-shucks” demeanor and a last name that denotes football royalty, that sparked external disputes. Not that he cared.
- Drew Brees’ decision to return or retire to come in ‘a month or so’ (nola.com) - For Dre Brees, Pro Bowl week is all about spending time with his wife and four children. His decision regarding his future on the football field will come later.
- NFL Teams Are Hiring And Firing Coaches More Quickly. The Results Are … Not Great (FiveThirtyEight) - When the Cleveland Browns fired rookie head coach Freddie Kitchens after the 2019 season, he became the fourth one-and-done NFL skipper in the past five seasons. Kitchens’s departure led to that of general manager John Dorsey, who himself was brought in when the Browns’ tank-and-rebuild plan didn’t pay off after one full offseason. If it seems like NFL decision-makers are getting worse at this — or at least more impatient — they are.