Has Za'Darius Smith played his last game as a Brown? He is considered the Detroit Lions' top target to deal for a pass rusher. (Cleveland Browns)
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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.
Second thoughts on Browns’ 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers …
1. Kevin Stefanski is in the unenviable position of trying to keep his players focused on the present while everyone else is focused on the future. While the coach is locked on training his players to ignore the 2-7 record and play hard, GM Andrew Berry is making and receiving calls to deal older players with non-guaranteed contracts for future draft assets. Pass rusher Za’Darius Smith remains the hottest commodity to be traded, probably to Detroit. Others who fit the profile of potential trade bait include defensive tackles Dalvin Tomlinson, Quinton Jefferson, Maurice Hurst and Shelby Harris; edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo; safety Juan Thornhill; receiver Elijah Moore; offensive tackle Jedrick Wills; and guard Wyatt Teller. None has guaranteed money remaining in their contracts. Now, don’t assume these players are all on the trading block. But if Berry receives acceptable draft compensation for any of them, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a minor deal made. Berry, incidentally, will hold his annual bye week press availability on Wednesday.
2. In somewhat of a concession toward looking to the future, Stefanski affirmed that Dawand Jones would remain the left tackle ahead of Wills. “I do plan on keeping him there,” Stefanski said. “He’s a young player that’s going to continue to get better. It’s not perfect, there’s things he can get better at, but I do believe leaving him there and letting him develop there is the best thing.” What does it say about Wills, the No. 10 overall pick of Berry’s first draft in 2020? “I’m not trying to say anything about him,” Stefanski said. “I’m just trying to put Dawand out there and let him get better. Jed’s still a player that we believe in and right now he’s got to be ready to go.”
3. Moving Jones to left tackle was one of three major changes Stefanski made two weeks ago. The others were naming Jameis Winston the starting quarterback to succeed injured Deshaun Watson and handing over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Those changes netted a good win over the Ravens and a terrible loss to the Chargers. So what can the coach do at the bye week, which is usually reserved for the biggest of changes in a season gone awry? “We’ll look at everything, in terms of what we can do better, but no major changes expected,” Stefanski said.
4. Jones’ move to left tackle is a tip-off of other lineup changes ahead. It seems proper and inevitable that increased play time is in the offing for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson; receiver Cedric Tillman, who stepped into the WR2 role after Amari Cooper was dealt to Buffalo; receiver Jamari Thrash; guard Zak Zinter; defensive tackle Michael Hall; linebackers Mohamoud Diabate, Winston Reid and Nathaniel Watson; and safety Ronnie Hickman.
5. Stefanski’s assertion that Winston is the starting QB for the rest of the season aged poorly in one week. Through two starts, Winston is averaging 6.59 yards per pass attempt with five TD, three interceptions and an 83.4 passer rating. That interception total could easily be doubled, or more, if not for drops by Ravens and Chargers defenders. “My focus is on us playing better as a team,” the coach said when asked about the QB situation. “Obviously, there were moments yesterday that we fell short. Jameis can play better, he knows that. Turning the ball over is just not a way to win in this league, he knows that. But that’s really where we are, just focused on getting better.”
6. Every quarterback decision the Browns make in the Stefanski-Berry era is done collaboratively. So, it would not surprise me if the reins are handed to Thompson-Robinson coming out of the bye – despite Stefanski’s “commitment” to Winston after the Baltimore game. More likely, however, is that Winston starts the next two games – at New Orleans on November 17 and then home against Pittsburgh four nights later on November. 21. After that, the Browns don’t have a game until Monday night December 2 in Denver. That mini-bye would give them 11 days to prepare DTR properly for the Broncos. Under this timetable, DTR conceivably could start the last six games of the season, possibly with Bailey Zappe as the active QB2. The Browns have to play DTR for an extended stint to evaluate whether he can compete as a “transition” starter to bridge the gap until the expected drafted quarterback can step in. (Whether the Browns, in fact, draft a quarterback in the first round in 2025 remains to be seen, of course. But it seems the inevitable course of action.) They also have to see if DTR can actually stay healthy for an extended stint of games. DTR’s nine career game appearances, including three starts, have not been impressive, to be sure. But there always have been extenuating circumstances surrounding his starts. He just never has had an extended stint to get in the rhythm of preparing as the starting quarterback.