The Browns QB Situation Continues To Prevent Proper Evaluation Of Kevin Stefanski
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
After losing a second straight game and falling two games behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North standings, Cleveland Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski remained uncommitted to who his quarterback would be moving forward.
While watching Cleveland’s most recent loss from a luxury box, Stefanksi’s $230 million quarterback, Deshaun Watson, remains sidelined for the remainder of the season. As of Monday, his rookie quarterback remains in concussion protocol after his exit against the Denver Broncos. Then, despite throwing for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in his first start since taking over for the New York Jets in their final regular season game last season, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was reverted back to Cleveland’s practice squad.
When directly asked Monday if Flacco would be the starter for Cleveland’s matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Stefanski deflected.
“I’m not going to get into those types of things on a Monday, we’ll work through that,” he said.
Uncertainty at the quarterback position has been a consistent theme throughout Stefanski’s time in Cleveland. Due to injuries or suspensions, eight different quarterbacks — Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, PJ Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and now Joe Flacco — have started at least one game under center during Stefanski’s four-year tenure in Cleveland.
During those four seasons, the Browns have only registered one winning season, Stefanki’s first year at the helm. The quarterback position has been detrimental to Cleveland’s success, but it’s also been detrimental to the organization’s future as it makes it extremely difficult to judge if Stefanksi is the head coach who can lead them to the promised land.
Not many coaches in the NFL would have success shuffling eight different quarterbacks into the mix over four seasons, and not many have. It’s the one position in the NFL where top-tier consistent play will more than likely lead to success and Stefanski and the Browns haven’t quite found that over the last 62 games.
There have been glimpses of it. Deshaun Watson gave them about 10 quarters this season in which he looked somewhat like a version of his former self. But with every bit of hope, came an injury and a blundering loss. They’re 39-16 loss to the 6-6 Los Angeles Rams is just the latest example in a seasons long wheel of disappointments.
The only thing that has been consistent about the Cleveland Browns over the past four seasons is their inability to properly evaluate Kevin Stefanski as a head coach, because again, who would be consistently successful in his situation.
The Atheltic’s Dianna Russini recently reported that she heard from multiple league sources that both Stefanski and General Manager Andrew Berry are safe due to their ability to navigate the choppy waters of this season.
But let’s be real, haven’t they been living off “navigating choppy waters” for the last three seasons?
Outside of the quarterback position, the pieces are there on both sides of the ball. The defense is one of the best in the league, there are a slew of weapons in the wide receiver room and they’ve proven to be one of the best teams in the league…at times.
But, without seeing a fully healthy Cleveland Browns team on the field consistently, the question remains.
So Stefanski gets away with getting cute on a double reverse in a crucial moment against the Broncos. He gets a pass for allowing PJ Walker to throw in a crucial moment that led to a doink off a helmet and a game losing reception.
Maybe he’s even better than we are giving him credit for. Maybe the team needs to move on. The point is we have no way of truly knowing, and that is the fault of Cleveland’s never ending quarterback situation. It’s still gonna be an while until we know if Kevin Stefanski is the guy in Cleveland?
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