The 49ers' new deal with Jimmy Garoppolo includes a no-trade clause, but he could always waive it if a desirable situation develops before the league trade deadline in November. (SFGate)
#HeyTony: Why couldn’t the Browns do with Baker Mayfield what the 49ers just did with Jimmy Garoppolo?
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Hey Tony: Baker Mayfield demanded a trade when faced with the potential of 1 year as a backup, whereas Jimmy G agreed to stay on as a backup when faced with a similar demotion. Is this a window into two very different personalities?
-- AJ, Avon, OH
Hey AJ: Yes, of course. To be fair, Baker as a backup in Cleveland would never have worked. Too many bridges were dynamited, the final one detonated by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen’s explosive report of the Browns wanting “an adult” at the position. Prior to that, teammates looked sideways at Mayfield after the Odell Beckham Sr. video. Kevin Stefanski’s waning confidence in his quarterback also created friction. There was the RUN THE DAMN BALL! Tweet from John Johnson during the Green Bay game. And Team Mayfield’s decision to sit out the final game against the Bengals did not go over well. In contrast, Jimmy Garoppolo unified his locker room behind him and took the team to the NFC championship game and was one dropped INT away by a since-departed 49ers safety from his second Super Bowl appearance.
Hey Tony: Could Cade York be the offensive MVP of the Browns this year? Like when Phil Dawson was?
-- APJ, Cleveland, OH
Hey APJ: He would probably be second choice in Vegas behind Nick Chubb.
Hey Tony: With defenses not respecting Jacoby Brissett's arm or accuracy and most likely putting another defender in the box, do you think our running game will get off the ground this year even with the talent at running back that we have?
-- Nat, Parma, OH
Hey Nat: Simply put, it’s incumbent on the quarterback to make defenses respect the passing game. Mayfield couldn’t do it last year. It will be the key to Brissett’s ability to win and keep the job during Watson’s 11-game suspension.
Hey Tony: How long of a leash does Brissett have before they panic and try Joshua Dobbs for a shot in the arm?
-- M.C., Wesley Chapel, FL
Hey M.C.: You call it panicking. I call it doing whatever it takes to win. No doubt Brissett will get at least the first four games. The Carolina and Pittsburgh games are huge. Losing both, even one, of those games would shorten the leash, in my opinion. Winning both would make everyone breathe easier.
Hey Tony: Everyone is being supportive, but deep down do the QBs and coaches have enough confidence in Anthony Schwartz to go to him in Week 1? He stalled the offense in preseason appearances with both Watson and Brissett. Feels like sunken cost at this point.
-- Lindsay, Kingston,ON
Hey Lindsay: The Browns over-drafted Schwartz in the third round. Don’t blame him. They believe the investment in draft capital and effort eventually will pay off. They are not going to give up on him in his second season. That said, any quarterback would lose trust in a receiver if the drops continue. Preseason was the time to target Schwartz. But now, Schwartz has to re-establish the trust in practice.
Hey Tony: I saw Mohamed Sanu was released by Miami. Should the Browns pick him up?
-- Ryan, Columbus, OH
Hey Ryan: Since Sanu turned 30 in 2019, he has been with four teams and has averaged 30 receptions for about 295 yards and 1 touchdown. He just turned 33. I think I’d pass on him, not pass to him.
Hey Tony: What adjustments to the offense would you make that Stefanski has not done to become more productive?
-- David, Shalersville, OH
Hey David: Generally, I’m a believer in doing whatever it takes to win a game. If your quarterback is throwing wildly, run the damn ball. If you have to play a field-position game – punting strategically to pin the opponent deep inside its own zone – do it. If you have to kick four field goals to win, do it. Contrary to belief, not every game needs to be won with five touchdowns. I think too often Stefanski is slow to adjust to the tone of the game and his team on any given Sunday. The emphasis on analytics to make crucial decisions is another pet peeve of mine, but I understand it was a condition of the job. Although Stefanski professes to play to the strength of his team, I did not find that to be the case last year. He allowed the quarterback to lose games, which is a cardinal sin of coaching. On a positive note, I think Stefanski is good at surprising opponents with aggressive play-calling to start games.
Hey Tony: Is there a "poison pill" in Deshaun Watson’s contract in case he falls in the future?
-- Dennis, Loudonville, OH
Hey Dennis: GM Andrew Berry has said the Browns have the standard protections in the Watson contract. I take that to mean that if Watson does anything as a member of the Browns to warrant a future NFL suspension, the Browns would be entitled to recouping bonus money on a pro-rated basis for the games he is suspended. It would be up to the Browns to enforce that contract provision. Some teams would rather not alienate their star player.
Hey Tony: The offensive line is only as good as the weakest link. Thoughts on the center situation?
-- Beth, Sugarcreek, OH
Hey Beth: I know the Browns believed Nick Harris would have been an upgrade over JC Tretter because of his athleticism and ability to get to the second level of blockers. Ethan Pocic was a good pickup for the role of experienced swingman at guard at center, but his mobility is limited. However, line coach Bill Callahan will adapt to Pocic’s different skillset and he’ll continue to train Michael Dunn and Hjalte Froholdt – both of whom have demonstrated preferred mobility. I think they’ll be OK as long as there are no more injuries.
Hey Tony: How do you keep a straight face when you get these non-answers from Stefanski and Berry about the receiving corps, specifically Schwartz?
-- Ethan, Midlothian, VA
Hey Ethan: It ain’t easy. My eyeballs have rolled off my face on occasion.
Hey Tony: I love me some Charlie Hughlett, but every year on cutdown day I wonder … Why don’t teams make an effort to train a position player to be proficient at long snapping?
-- John, Delray Beach, FL
Hey John: Yes, in the old days backup position players were trained as long snappers. But as the sport became more specialized and roster sizes increased, coaches became more comfortable dedicating a specialist to exclusively long snap. That way, they say, the placement team – snapper, holder, kicker – can practice among itself without having to pull a position player from his group. This is also why coaches train punters as the No. 1 holder rather than backup quarterbacks.
Hey Tony: Can we expect to see any increase in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt being used on the field at the same time this season?
-- Jamie, New Philadelphia, OH
Hey Jamie: The Browns have shown very little of this in practices open to media. Now that Stefanski will close practices to media, maybe they’ll practice such a package. I’ve been pining for it for three years, however, and with Hunt in the final year of his contract I fear that ship has sailed. We shall see.
