What would John Dorsey had done if he had stayed on the job as Browns GM? (kansascity.com)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
A year ago, John Dorsey was the toast of the town. The gum-chomping, sweatshirt-stylin’ Browns GM basked in the glory of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade and a draft that netted a decorated LSU defensive back that fell to the second round named Greedy Williams.
The NFL schedule anointed the Browns the team to watch in 2019 and the Browns GM didn’t apologize for it. “Why not go for it?” was his mantra.
So much has happened in the past 12 months. Dorsey’s legacy in two years in charge is totally dependent on a new staff’s ability to get Baker Mayfield back to the business of franchise quarterbacking.
In the meantime, new GM Andrew Berry has put an immediate imprint on the roster in his first transaction season.
Dorsey and Berry are polar opposites in personality and background. Dorsey is old-school, emotional and blind to character issues in his quest for a playoff team. Berry is new-school, composed and more analytical in player selection.
I can think of five player moves that probably would have gone differently if Dorsey had still been on the job as Browns GM.
1. Trent Williams
Dorsey tried hard to acquire the disgruntled Redskins’ left tackle prior to the 2019 trade deadline, but the old Washington regime wouldn’t budge. After a change in coaches and GM, the Redskins were intent on finally moving Williams. Former Washington GM Scot McGloughan, a former Dorsey associate, endorsed Williams heartily. While Berry resisted a trade for Williams, I feel Dorsey would have made the deal (a fifth-rounder in 2020 and third-rounder in 2021) and anointed Williams his left tackle in a dash for the playoffs.
2. Isaiah Simmons
Trading for Williams would have freed Dorsey to pursue a different position with the No. 10 overall draft pick. I suspect he would have targeted Simmons to replace linebacker Joe Schobert, whom he would have allowed to leave in free agency, like his successor. I believe Dorsey would have tried hard to trade up to No. 7 with Carolina to nab Simmons and probably would have overpaid with a high draft pick in 2021.
3. Jacob Phillips v. Alex Trautman
For the sake of this exercise, let’s assume that Dorsey would have approved replacing coach Freddie Kitchens with Kevin Stefanski. (He probably would not have had a choice.) So Dorsey would have accommodated Stefanski’s need for another tight end and he might have opted for Dayton’s Alex Trautman with his second pick in the third round ahead of Jacob Phillips. Trautman was taken eight spots later than Phillips at No. 105 by the Saints. The trade up for Simmons would have filled the need for a linebacker earlier.
4. David Njoku
I have no doubt that Dorsey never would have drafted Njoku in the first round in 2017 and would not have thought twice about not picking up his fifth-year option. In fact, I believe Dorsey would have traded Njoku before or during the draft.
5. Rashard Higgins
Dorsey saw Higgins establish rare chemistry with Mayfield in 2018, but the trade for Beckham changed the dynamic of the receivers room. I felt Dorsey was complicit in Higgins’ demise in 2019 because the GM was one of many who sought to have his trade for Beckham vindicated. I don’t believe Dorsey respected Higgins’ skills at receiver and would not have re-signed him.