Kevin Stefanski has a lot of issues to deal with as the Browns' offseason kicks off. (Cleveland Browns)
These are the offseason issues the Browns will soon tackle
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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.
No more “This is the most crucial offseason in Browns history!”, please.
They’re all crucial.
Yes, the Browns made strides in 2023 to close the gap to first place in the AFC North. But they’re obviously not there yet. And until they win their division and earn a home playoff game, if not two, a Super Bowl is still a pipedream.
So you can make the case that this is a crucial offseason simply because they’re so close. Staying the same is not an option.
The offseason kicked off with Kevin Stefanski firing offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney. Filling those positions are only the first issues facing the organization in the coming months.
Here are some others, not listed in any particular order of importance.
1. Does Stefanski fill the OC job with a coach from Deshaun Watson’s past, and does he relinquish play-calling duties to the new coordinator?
2. Will the Browns acknowledge Watson’s durability issues and retain a veteran backup quarterback, or do they still believe Dorian Thompson-Robinson can fill the QB2 role in 2024?
3. Joe Flacco, Jacoby Brissett, Josh Dobbs. Shouldn’t any one of these veteran QBs familiar with the team be brought back?
4. How do they resolve the imminent Nick Chubb dilemma? With one non-guaranteed year on his contract, do they just pick it up with a salary cap number of $15.8 million or do they negotiate an extension to lower that number and take care of Chubb while not knowing exactly when he’ll return to the field?
5. What do they do about wide receiver Amari Cooper, who enters his age 30 season with one year and a $23.776 million cap number on his contract?
6. Which of the 22 unrestricted free agents – yes, 22 – are brought back? Among them are punter Corey Bojorquez, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, defensive end Za’Darius Smith, linebackers Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker, and defensive tackles Jordan Elliott, Shelby Harris and Maurice Hurst.
7. Do they count on right tackle Jack Conklin, who has missed 30 games in four years with them and had two season-ending injuries in the past three years, and whose cap number goes up for three more years?
8. Do they consider flipping Dawand Jones to left tackle and Jedrick Wills to right tackle?
9. Can they keep offensive line guru Bill Callahan from joining his son Brian if the latter gets a head coach job?
10. How do they acquire a true No. 1 receiver – trade or free agency? Could they find him in Round 2 of the draft?
11. Do they pick up cornerback Greg Newsome’s fifth-year option by the May 2 deadline at a projected fully guaranteed 2025 salary of $11.75 million?
12. What do they do to prevent the defense from underperforming on the road?
13. If Jim Schwartz says he wants to add Gregg Williams to the staff, do they do it?
14. When do they give linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah a contract extension?
15. Can they afford to keep right guard Wyatt Teller, whose salary cap number nearly doubles to $11.6 million in 2024, or do they attempt to include him in a trade for a draft pick or a receiver?
