Watson is entering the third season of his absolutely massive fully guaranteed contract, so it makes sense that he will once again be the team’s starting quarterback, despite Flacco leading the team to a 4-1 record and a postseason appearance.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kevin Stefanski is likely willing to give up play-calling responsibilities depending on who he hires to replace Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator.Stefanski, who played just one full season in Minnesota in 2019 before becoming head coach of the Browns in 2020, took on his first four seasons here because he always felt he was the best person on the staff to do it. ..
The Browns also strongly believed that Stefanski was one of the game’s rising offensive linemen and that he was the best man for the job..
His ego was never involved, and he never stubbornly refused to give it up when it was clear that he should.Van Pelt had only one year of playing experience with the 2009 Bills when Stefanski hired him, so he didn’t want to keep a more experienced player out of the job. 4,444 4,444 Granted, Stefanski had three over three games at the end of 2018, but it was the right move for his first four years on the job.
Now he’s shaking up the offense — and looking for new ideas with Deshaun Watson in 2024 after shoulder surgery — he may have to give up a position to attract the best, most innovative offensive coordinator.If he hopes to land a veteran playmaker or one of the brightest minds in the business — the next Bobby Slowik of the Texans — the ability to make plays must be at least during the interview..
The path to a head coaching job usually involves play calling, and it’s hard to sell an offensive reliever on a job that doesn’t.That doesn’t mean it has to happen that way. If Stefanski, who so far has only interviewed Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson for the job, finds a bright, young coach who isn’t ready to play, he can handle the job himself until the rookie is up to the task.But if he hopes to land one of the game’s rising stars like Rams quarterbacks coach and run defense coach Zac Robinson, 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak or Raiders running game coordinator Scott Turner, he could attract them as a very important offense. a carrot.
All three could be on the Browns’ radar, and the competition for such talent is intense this offseason, with both Robinson and Kubiak interviewing for the Bruins’ OC spot and others. Robinson is also interviewing for an open position with the Saints.
As for Kubiak, Stefanski hired him as the quarterbacks coach in Minnesota in 2019 when he was the offensive coordinator under Mike Zimmer. Kubiak is the oldest son of Stefanski’s mentor Gary Kubiak, former Super Bowl-winning Broncos coach, former Texans head coach and longtime offensive coordinator.
Stefanski is close to Klind and they share much of the same West Coast Mike Shanahan tree philosophy and mindset of growing innovative concepts.The 49ers (12-5) host the Packers in the divisional round Saturday night at 8:15 p.m. Robinson is out of the playoffs and can be interviewed at any time.
The Browns have played both the 49ers and the Rams this season. They beat San Francisco 19-17 and lost to the Rams 36-19. Kubiak, in his first season as the 49ers’ passing coordinator, led Brock Purdy to the NFL’s No. 2 grade of 113.0 with 31 passing yards and 11 interceptions. He completed 69.4% of his passes and finished fifth with 4,280 yards..
Robinson, in his second season as the Rams’ QB coach/passing game coordinator, helped lead LA to a 10-7 record and a wild-card spot in the playoffs in what was expected to be a rebuilding year. If Robinson, a former NFL quarterback, could even come close to matching McVay’s offensive brilliance, he would be the right catch. Under his guidance, Matthew Stafford finished 11th with 3,965 yards, 24 TDs against 11 interceptions.Turner, the son of former Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner — one of Stefanski’s mentors during their Minnesota days — spent 2023 as the Raiders’ passing game coordinator under Josh McDaniels, who was fired in November. Scott Turner, the Browns’ receivers coach in 2013 and former commanding offensive coordinator, helped Derek Carr finish 10th in the NFL this season with a 97.7 grade and 13th with 3,878 yards.The Browns cast a wide net for the offensive coordinator in this round, but the pass may include a play call..
