The No. 1 person on the hot seat after the Deshaun Watson trade is coach Kevin Stefanski.
#HeyTony: Who’s under the most pressure after the Deshaun Watson trade?
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Hey Tony: Who is under more pressure now with the Deshaun Watson acquisition if Browns don’t go to Super Bowl, Kevin Stefanski or Andrew Berry?
-- Chris, Atlanta, OH
Hey Chris: After Jimmy Haslam went “all-in” and guaranteed $230 million to what is perceived as the missing link to a Super Bowl, everybody is under significantly more pressure. Stefanski first and foremost. But every time Haslam has fired a coach, the GM has fallen, too. The clock is ticking on the present regime, no doubt.
Hey Tony: Do you rank Watson as a top 5 QB?
-- AJ, Avon, OH
Hey AJ: My quarterback rankings: 1. Patrick Mahomes, 2. Tom Brady, 3. Aaron Rodgers, 4. Joe Burrow, 5. Josh Allen, 6. Russell Wilson, 7. Matthew Stafford, 8. Lamar Jackson, 9. Justin Herbert, 10. Deshaun Watson. My rankings are based not on statistics but wholly on the No. 1 task of the job: to lead his team to win. Everything else is secondary.
Hey Tony: Do you think other teams are snubbing us on a trade for Baker Mayfield because we gave Deshaun Watson a guaranteed contract and they are mad?
-- Scott, West Lafayette, OH
Hey Scott: Naw. The problem has to do with Mayfield, not the Browns. In order: his $18.8 million guaranteed salary, his inconsistent play on the field, his limited physical attributes, his immaturity on and off the field. If he were released, multiple teams would be interested, but the guaranteed salary is a major problem.
Hey Tony: What does the timeline look like for both [Jadeveon] Clowney and [Jarvis] Landry coming back and what is the likelihood of both coming back?
-- Pat, New Franklin, OH
Hey Pat: I have not heard Clowney linked to any team. He may eventually arrive at the conclusion that the Browns are the best situation for him. Landry may have some options, especially after the Tyreek Hill trade. I don’t feel anything is imminent, but something should happen with both before the draft.
Hey Tony: Wouldn’t it be better to leave Baker [Mayfield] on the roster all year rather than cut him for the Steelers to sign?
-- Josh, Galena, OH
Hey Josh: Leaving Mayfield on the roster isn’t an option, in my opinion. But it’s way too early to simply release him. As for the Steelers, they have no interest in him. None.
Hey Tony: Can the NFL hit the Browns or Watson with a bigger fine when punishment comes down to make up for the low penalty game check wise? Will they also take into account he sat out a year as part of the punishment?
-- Stevie, Dayton, OH
Hey Stevie: None of this will happen. The Browns did nothing wrong in constructing the contract the way they did. Check the new deal Miami gave Tyreek Hill. They did the same thing – minimal first-year salary. It behooves the team to do this for salary cap purposes in the first year. Also, “time served” does not apply to a Watson’s suspension. Watson’s inactive status in 2021 was the result of the Texans preserving his health for a future trade.
Hey Tony: If you had to select right now, who would be your pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl next year?
-- Rob, Cleveland, OH
Hey Rob: The Bengals. 1. They won the AFC last year, and have gotten better in free agency, with the draft to come. 2. They’re the only AFC team that has Kansas City’s number. 3. They won’t carry the heavy expectations of most defending champions because nobody takes them seriously, it seems.
Hey Tony: Of the 31 media markets, where would you rank Cleveland's media as far as difficulty to navigate for athletes?
-- Ryan, Ashtabula, OH
Hey Ryan: The reason this question is tough to answer is because the media landscape is changing so drastically and rapidly. Traditional media are being replaced by a new breed of mostly team- and player-friendly entities. So the coverage gets softer and softer and teams and players become more accustomed to that light approach. The rough-and-tumble coverage of traditional media now sticks out as overly negative. That’s happening all over the NFL, so it’s hard for me to even assess the tough media markets from the clueless ones. Softer coverage – aka boosterism – only serves the teams, not the fans. Now, get off my lawn.
Hey Tony: We are still thin at safety. Do you see us taking one somewhat early in the draft or do they get a developmental player?
-- Mike, Fort Worth, TX
Hey Mike: I could see this need filled by a one-year prove-it deal in free agency, which would give the Browns another year to assess the development of Richard LeCounte. I’m disappointed M.J. Stewart was not retained.
Hey Tony: Do you think the Browns tagged [David] Njoku with the Watson deal in mind, thinking Watson could “unlock” Njoku’s potential?
-- Alan, Perrysburg, OH
Hey Alan: There was no guarantee the Browns would land Watson when the Browns tagged Njoku. I think they see a physically gifted player who has improved in the last two years in Stefanski’s offense. With Watson on board, I think Njoku could become a more impactful playmaker in the offense. In 2019, nine of Watson’s 26 TDs were thrown to tight ends. In 2020, seven of his 33 TDs were thrown to tight ends. In the two years of Stefanski’s system, Mayfield had nine and 10 TDs to tight ends. I would expect Njoku to flourish with Watson.
Hey Tony: Will the Browns actually make the Super Bowl with Watson as QB?
-- Tony, Washington, DC
Hey Tony: This is their best chance in our lifetime. If something goes awry in the five years of Watson’s contract, many of us will never see the Browns in a Super Bowl.
Hey Tony: What's the likelihood the Browns can get a good WR in the 2nd round?
-- Donny, Holmesville, OH
Hey Donny: If they stay at No. 44, they may have a choice of George Pickens of Georgia, Alec Pierce of Cincinnati, possibly Christian Watson of North Dakota State, and others. All are good-sized, productive college receivers. None, however, may ever be considered a No. 1 in the NFL.
Hey Tony: Was the offense restricted last year due to Baker Mayfield’s abilities and can Stefanski maximize the talents of Watson and the other skill players?
-- Brian, Dadeville, AL
Hey Brian: Yes. Yes.
Hey Tony: How do you think the changes at the QB position are being received by the players in the Browns locker room? Given that little support has been shown publicly from his teammates do you think the players were also ready to move on from Baker?
-- Jeff, Sharon, PA
Hey Jeff: In this day and age, we’re restricted at this time of year to reactions on social media, and there has been deafening silence to Mayfield’s demise and to Watson’s acquisition. My hunch is that players are confused, like fans, but will be excited when the dust settles.
Hey Tony: Does the Browns leadership have the discipline to hang on to Baker into training camp when his value could go up, potentially due to injury on another team?
-- Matt, Columbus, OH
Hey Matt: I think so, but they would prefer it doesn’t come to that.
Hey Tony: How many games can Watson miss before you think it will be too hard to make it in playoffs? So fill in blank. If Browns Watson misses ____ games due to suspension to start Browns will not make playoffs.
-- Adam, Las Vegas, NV
Hey Adam: We don’t know the Browns weekly schedule yet, so it’s hard to say. If he misses six games, you’d want Jacoby Brissett to go at least 3-3. I think, obviously, the more games Watson misses, the longer the chances of the Browns making the playoffs. Keep in mind that Watson’s performance in must-win games in December and January will be affected by possibly inclement weather. Nobody can project how he adapts. It is a concern of mine.
