In the case of a chance encounter between Odell Beckham Jr. and Kevin Stefanski at NFL meetings, a contract is worth a lot more than a bro hug.
Browns say hello, goodbye to Odell Beckham Jr.
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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.
PHOENIX, AZ
Leftovers from NFL owners meetings …
Like two ships passing in the night, the Browns departed NFL meetings just as Odell Beckham Jr. was arriving.
In fact, Beckham literally stepped out of a luxury SUV at the front entrance of the Arizona Biltmore as coach Kevin Stefanski was out front waiting for his transportation to leave the resort. Beckham walked to Stefanski and the two bro-hugged while exchanging friendly words.
The image certainly verified reports the Browns have maintained a cordial relationship with the flamboyant wide receiver since their very public divorce in the middle of the 2021 season.
But any chance of a Beckham-Browns reunion, which sounded downright preposterous given the drama that enveloped Beckham in their 2 ½ seasons together, evaporated last week when the Browns traded for Elijah Moore and signed free agent Marquise Goodwin on successive days.
As one Browns official put it, “Timing is everything.”
Beckham, who has a residence in Arizona, came to the site of NFL meetings to stir up interest in himself and to demonstrate that recovery from his second ACL surgery in 16 months was complete. He is probably the biggest-named free agent who hasn’t found a new team.
Beckham later verified he met with the Ravens. The Jets and Giants also have expressed interest in him.
The Browns did not meet with Beckham.
Go west, stay west
The Browns will have a bigger stake this season in learning the rhythm and makeup of their 2023 schedule when the NFL makes its annual schedule release in May.
The team has petitioned the league office to give the Browns back-to-back games in the western time zone to ease what will be an arduous road schedule.
The Browns have on their 2023 road schedule games at Denver, Houston, Los Angeles (Rams) and Seattle. Stefanski said he would keep his team out west to practice between games rather than return home if the league grants his wish. That would essentially save it another cross-country, back-and-forth trip.
Several teams have done this in the past and word has spread in the coaching fraternity that their teams responded well to the second game.
Not every team gets its wish when it comes to the complex league schedule, however. The Steelers have a similar road schedule, with games at Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles (Chargers) and Seattle.
Everybody loves the backup quarterback
The Browns’ main backup quarterbacks under Stefanski have been Case Keenum (2020-21), Jacoby Brissett (2022) and now Josh Dobbs.
Previously, Stefanski professed love for Keenum, who played for the Vikings in 2017 when Stefanski was Minnesota’s quarterbacks coach, and for Brissett, who won four of 11 games last season during Deshaun Watson’s NFL suspension.
The Browns had Dobbs as Brissett’s backup during that stint, then waived him and lost him eventually to the Titans. The Titans were forced to rush in Dobbs in their last two games after an injury to Ryan Tannehill and disappointing play by rookie Malik Willis.
Dobbs was lured back to the Browns this year when they gave him a guaranteed contract for $2 million. He received interestin free agency from Tennessee and Arizona.
Here is what Stefanski had to say about Dobbs this week:
“I think the world of Josh Dobbs, the person, the player,” the coach said. “He got an opportunity to play some meaningful football games last season [with the Titans], which I think was good for him. But Dobbs, he's a favorite of our building. I mean he's beloved in that building. I think everybody saw what he can do in our system or just in game settings. He's a playmaker, so we're really thrilled that he is back. And then the person, just the fit in the room between Deshaun, Josh, [and No. 3 Kellen [Mond]. I mean these are really solid people that we’re excited about that.”
More, or less, preseason time for Watson?
One of Stefanski’s big summertime decisions is how to allocate play time for starters, particularly Watson, in the team’s four preseason games.
Watson did not play a full game from Jan. 3, 2021 until his Browns debut on Dec. 4, 2022 because of his request to be traded from the Texans and then his 11-game suspension for personal conduct violations. That 700-day layoff was cause for a very rusty Watson during his six games for the Browns when reinstated.
You would think Stefanski would want to give Watson substantial game reps in preseason to sharpen him for a running start in the season opener.
“Potentially,” the coach hedged. “I don't know that we're going to commit to anything just yet, but obviously you take everything into account when you're thinking about that, yes.”
Rules changes
Owners approved 15 rules changes, bylaws and resolution proposals. Among the notable:
* There will be only one roster cut from 90 players to 53 after the completion of the preseason schedule. The Browns were among the teams favoring this to save all the soon-to-be cut players to play out the preseason games while regular starters sit and watch. The Browns and Jets, who meet in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, are the only teams with four preseason games.
* Players now will be able to wear zero as a jersey number – except for offensive and defensive linemen. Which means new Browns defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo – a natural for 0 – won’t be able to. Double 0 might be even more appropriate for Okoronkwo, but it was not included in the rule change.
* Replay will be permitted to review any failed fourth-down attempt.
* Teams were informed that they could be scheduled for Thursday night games after a Sunday game on two occasions in 2023, rather than just one. This change sets up the possibility of games being flexed to Thursday night over the final three weeks of the season with 15 days notice. A vote on flex scheduling was tabled until May after a straw vote indicated it wouldn't pass. The purpose would be to eliminate games among losing teams late in the year on Amazon’s Thursday Night Football package.
