As Browns players reconvene for the offseason program, Andy Dickerson has to fill the big shoes of legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan.
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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.
Did you know that the Browns’ 2024 season unofficially began on Monday?
That was reporting day for the beginning of the team’s voluntary offseason conditioning program. It’s the first day the players and coaches assembled together since the end of the 2023 season.
The offseason program consists of nine weeks, which takes the team through full mandatory minicamp June 11-13.
Phase One is two weeks of activity limited to meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehab.
Phase Two takes place over the next three weeks and adds light on-field activities, such as position drills. There is no live contact or offense vs. defense drills permitted in this phase.
Phase Three ramps up with so-called organized team activities (OTAs) over the next four weeks. Teams may conduct up to 10 days of OTAs, which includes the team’s three-day, mandatory minicamp. There is no live contact permitted, but offense and defense practices together in 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
The Browns will have a media availability on Tuesday with coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Deshaun Watson. Per NFL rules, they also must open three OTA practices to media. They are scheduled for May 22, May 29 and June 5.
When the Browns reconvened for the first time on Monday, name tags may have been in order.
Since they cleaned out their lockers following a 45-14 loss to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game, the Browns added 12 new veteran players, six new coaches and one very well-known consultant.
Here’s the scorecard of Browns’ new arrivals.
New players
Offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji: A sixth-round pick of the Bengals in 2020, he was with the Vikings in 2023. In 15 NFL starts, six were at tackle and nine were at guard.
Linebacker Devin Bush: The former No. 10 overall pick of the Steelers in 2019 had a great rookie season, but a torn ACL in the sixth game of his second season – against the Browns – sidetracked him. Only 25, he spent 2023 on special teams with the Seahawks.
Running back D’Onta Foreman: A teammate of Watson with the Texans in 2017-18, he careened to the Colts, Titans, Falcons, Titans again, Panthers and Bears before signed by the Browns. They see him as a short-yardage specialist.
Cornerback Justin Hardee: The Glenville HS product was a two-time special teams captain with the Jets. After the Browns clinched a playoff spot with a win against the Jets last year, Hardee embraced Browns QB Joe Flacco and said, “You know this is my city. Bring my city a ‘ship.”
Linebacker Jordan Hicks: He was the Eagles’ starting middle linebacker in their Super Bowl championship season of 2017 under now-Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, but an Achilles injury in Game 7 ended his season. He replaces Anthony Walker as the sage of the linebacker room.
Running back Nyheim Hines: A torn ACL suffered in a See-Doo accident kept him out of the entire 2023 season. Before that, he was a return specialist five seasons with the Colts with Bubba Ventrone as special teams coordinator.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley: GM Andrew Berry said he couldn’t believe the former Ravens backup QB was unsigned, so he scooped him up. Berry denied the move cast doubt on the recoveries of 2023 injured QBs Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson: An upgrade over departed Jordan Elliott, he is coming off a career-high six sacks with the Jets, his fourth team.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy: After four underachieving years with the Broncos, who drafted him 15th overall in 2020, Berry traded two late-round picks for him and then anointed him with a 3-year contract extension with $41 million in guarantees.
Tight end Giovanni Ricci: The Mid-American Conference product (from Western Michigan) has been a blocking specialist with the Panthers for four seasons.
Quarterback Jameis Winston: Rather than risk dividing the locker room and fan base with the ever-popular Flacco usurping Watson’s turf, the Browns signed Winston, ostensibly as a non-threatening supporter and mentor for Watson.
Kicker Cade York: The 2022 fourth-round pick and rookie record-holder was brought back as insurance for the oft-injured Dustin Hopkins.
New coaches
Jacques Cesaire, defensive line: He coached under Schwartz disciple Matt Burke with the Texans and replaced departed Ben Bloom.
Nick Charlton, run game specialist/offensive assistant: Offensive coordinator under head coach Jim Mora Jr. at UConn, he might have a big say in conversion of the Browns’ running game to a predominantly shotgun offense.
Andy Dickerson, offensive line: Called on to replace the legendary Bill Callahan, he apprenticed twice under Callahan with the Jets and was on Eric Mangini’s Browns’ staff in 2009-10.
Roy Istvan, assistant offensive line: He left the Eagles, where he was assistant to respected line coach Jeff Stoutland five years, for a parallel career move.
Pass game specialist/tight ends Tommy Rees: Son of Phil Savage-era personnel director Bill Rees, he has ascended from Notre Dame quarterback to Notre Dame offensive coordinator and Alabama offensive coordinator. He’s 31.
Duce Staley, running backs: A fiery replacement to the placid Stump Mitchell, he was part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl staff with Schwartz.
Coach and personnel consultant Mike Vrabel: Akron native, Ohio State standout and former Titans head coach, he gave Schwartz a consultant gig when Schwartz was recovering from illness. His role is undefined. He is sure to be recycled in the next NFL hiring season.