The Cleveland media started yesterday speculating on a Myles Garrett trade which wasn’t going to happen. Then they were clutching their pearls about the reports the Browns were going to be buyers at today’s trade deadline. Now they’re back to firing everyone in the building at Berea. I’m glad they all had a restful bye week. Later in the day, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced he was going to have offensive coordinator Tommy Rees start calling plays. The local media’s knee jerk reaction was expected. He’s trying to save his job; he’s throwing Rees under the bus or ownership told him he had to do something. Let’s talk.
First of all, I’ve told you from the beginning Garrett wasn’t going to be traded. If they did, because of the way his contract is structured, the Browns would have zero spending power over the next three years. Enjoy being the New Orleans Saints. Next, if there’s a young player who has a friendly contract that another team doesn’t want, like a wide receiver, then the Browns, if it’s a team friendly deal, would be buyers. A prime example is the trade they made for Tyson Campbell. Two years left on his contract and a perfect fit for Jim Schwartz’s defense. I’m still thinking a wide receiver, but it takes two teams to make a trade. It won’t be Garrett Wilson because of the contract extension he recently signed doesn’t fit for the Browns. It won’t be Chris Olave because he’s a piece a team builds around, and his contract is friendly for the Saints. The only way the Browns trade pieces away is if, and this is a big if, another team overwhelms them. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Browns don’t do anything.
As for the play calling duties, it’s not a desperation move. Stefanski is not being fired. Let’s look at this logically, something the local media has no concept of, if you knew you were going to be fired why in god’s name would you put your future employment in the hands of someone else. If you thought you were being fired, you would do all you could to keep your job, not hand it over to a coworker. People who hate Stefanski will twist logic into what they want to see, it’s human nature. Because the owner of the Browns knows the swing and a miss (his words) on the Watson trade was partially his fault, both Berry and Stefanski are safe.
Finally, two first round picks for the Jets Sauce Gardner? Talk about desperation by the Colts. I bet the line moves in the Browns favor prior to Sunday. Stay safe and Go Browns.