The Browns’ 2023 season has not gone as planned due to injuries, but the team is still in a playoff spot heading into Week 13. As a result, head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry’s job security is not a topic of discussion.
Given the strength of Cleveland’s roster and the annual regression in the win-loss department that had occurred during their three-year tenures, both entered the season with high expectations. However, season-ending injuries to running back Nick Chubb and, more recently, quarterback Deshaun Watson have not prevented the team from getting off to a 7-4 start and a strong chance of making the playoffs.
The team’s success thus far has ruled out any change on the field or in the front office.
Stefanski and Berry are both “here to stay,” according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required). The former was named Coach of the Year in 2020 after leading the team to an 11-5 record and a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs. However, a drop to 8-9 followed, as did a 7-10 record in 2022, Watson’s first season in charge (though his suspension delayed his Browns debut until Week 12 that year). If the Stefanski-Berry regime does not improve, some believe the heat will be turned up quickly.
To no one’s surprise, no coaching changes occurred this offseason, and Stefanski’s coaching performance in 2023 has earned him a longer leash. The Browns are tied to Watson’s acquisition, which included a trade package of three first-round picks followed by a fully guaranteed $230MM contract, and the consequences that will follow. The former Texans Pro Bowler has not lived up to expectations in Cleveland thus far, but the team’s ability to win without him in the lineup or perform at his previous level when he is on the field has received high praise.
That will be put to the test again in Week 13 when Joe Flacco takes over for the injured rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Adding the veteran late in the season could be a wise move if it allows the Browns to win with a severely undermanned offense and compete for a postseason spot in the crowded AFC. Even if that is not the case, Stefanski and Berry appear to have earned some extra wiggle room heading into the offseason.
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