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Jake Trotter, ESPN Employees Author
BEREA, Ohio — Kevin Stefanski has studied a lot previous movie of Deshaun Watson that he can title the Cleveland quarterback’s highschool mascot.
“The elephants,” Stefanski says. “Perhaps the Crimson Elephants?” [Bingo.]
Eighteen months in the past, Stefanski first met Watson, together with Browns house owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and normal supervisor Andrew Berry, within the Houston legislation workplaces of Watson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin. At the moment, Watson — who was going through 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and inappropriate conduct throughout therapeutic massage classes — was in search of a brand new group after demanding a commerce from the Houston Texans and sitting out the entire 2021 season. The Browns have been in search of a quarterback and secured a gathering to promote Watson on selecting them.
Whereas the Haslams spoke to Watson’s attorneys in an workplace, Stefanski talked soccer with Watson within the convention room. The 2 hit it off instantly watching movie clips collectively. Watson in the end selected the Browns. Cleveland despatched the Texans three first-round picks to finish the commerce and signed Watson to a five-year deal value a document $230 million totally assured. The blockbuster transfer, in some ways, tied Watson’s destiny to Stefanski; and, in each method, tethered Stefanski’s to Watson.
To develop into one of many NFL’s high quarterbacks once more after an underwhelming debut final 12 months, Watson, who final season served an 11-game suspension stemming from the sexual assault allegations, will want Stefanski to efficiently rework the Browns’ offense round him. To stay Cleveland’s head coach previous this season, Stefanski will want Watson to carry out at a degree that propels the Browns into the playoffs after back-to-back dropping seasons.
“With Kevin’s creativity and Deshaun’s expertise and work ethic, [there are] issues we’ll have the ability to do offensively that perhaps we’ve not been capable of do earlier than,” Berry mentioned of the coach and quarterback. “Candidly, I am fairly excited to see.”
The stakes of this season could not be larger for the Browns, who face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday evening (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+) aiming for his or her first 2-0 begin since 1993. Cleveland hasn’t gained a regular-season recreation in Pittsburgh in 19 years.
“It is an superior alternative for us to have the ability to go on the market and present the world what we acquired,” Watson mentioned, “and what we may be.”
What the Browns have been since returning to the NFL in 1999 is a perennial loser. Cleveland has completed with a unfavorable level differential in 15 straight seasons. In accordance with ESPN Stats & Data information, that ties the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1982-96) for the longest streak of its form in NFL historical past.
Such futility prompted the Browns to pursue a franchise-level quarterback regardless of the allegations made in opposition to Watson. The Browns are all-in on successful now. The Haslams are spending a bit over $280 million on the roster this 12 months, greater than some other group within the league. The Browns have not made a first- or second-round draft decide the previous two years, both from the Watson commerce or from beefing up the roster round him; Houston owns Cleveland’s first-round decide subsequent 12 months, too.
“Are we enthusiastic about this 12 months? Sure,” Jimmy Haslam mentioned. “To say it is now or by no means, I believe it would be grossly unfair. However we’re excited concerning the 12 months.”
If not now, then when?
The Browns boast a number of star gamers of their prime, together with All-Professional defensive finish Myles Garrett, cornerback Denzel Ward and operating again Nick Chubb. They traded for Professional Bowl pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith and slot receiver Elijah Moore — the No. 34 decide in 2021. And so they’re paying their quarterback $46 million this season.
After a disappointing 7-10 end in 2022, Stefanski fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods and particular groups coordinator Mike Priefer. He changed them with Jim Schwartz — a Tremendous Bowl winner with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 — and Bubba Ventrone, respectively. Now, the onus falls squarely on Stefanski to provide a playoff look, at a minimal.
Getting into his fourth season, Stefanski is Cleveland’s longest-tenured coach because the Haslams purchased the group in 2012. In the meantime, the Browns’ offense has gotten worse over the previous three seasons with Stefanski calling the performs. The Browns ranked seventh in offensive effectivity in 2020, once they made the playoffs for the primary time in 17 years. Cleveland, nevertheless, fell to 18th in 2021 whereas then quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled taking part in by a shoulder harm.
The Browns then slipped to nineteenth final 12 months. Cleveland ranked within the high 10 over 11 video games with backup Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. However the Browns plummeted offensively over the six video games Watson began after getting back from suspension, a stretch they completed 3-3.
“With any participant, you are continuously studying about one another on a private degree, after which on a soccer degree, for positive,” Stefanski mentioned. “You are looking for out what suits, what you want, these kinds of issues. However the extra time you are round anyone, you get to know them higher.”
Jimmy Haslam has given Stefanski his full-throated public help, noting “there was by no means a thought” to firing Stefanski after final season. Nonetheless, many contained in the group assume the Haslams will transfer on from the 2020 NFL Coach of the Yr if the Browns miss the postseason for a 3rd consecutive season.
“Extremely assured,” Haslam mentioned, when requested about Stefanski. “Being a head coach within the NFL is difficult as a result of typically you’ve a specialty, and Kevin’s specialty is offense, quarterbacks, calling performs. … However you additionally must be a pacesetter of males, and I believe he is actually good at each.”
Stefanski devoted this offseason to discovering out what suits Watson. That included learning movie from Watson’s time with the Texans and at Clemson. Constructing off that first assembly collectively in Houston, sources acquainted with their relationship say, the 2 regularly traded concepts over textual content message all through the offseason, together with sending clips of performs that piqued their curiosity.
“You must have a relentless dialogue with the quarterback and issues that he is comfy with,” Stefanski mentioned. “After which in the end, what matches the quarterback’s eye, what matches your expertise and your personnel that you’ve. I actually assume that is ongoing.”
Watson famous that their rapport and “relationship has continued to develop” over the previous 18 months.
In August, Stefanski praised Watson after the gamers voted him one in every of 5 captains.
Stefanski has empowered Watson on the sector, too.
When Stefanski first arrived in Cleveland, he carried over a tight-end-heavy scheme he had run as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. In 2020, with Mayfield at quarterback, the Browns used multiple-TE units 52% of the time, greater than some other offense within the league, in response to Subsequent Gen Stats information. Reinforcing the evolution of Stefanski’s offense to a extra wide-open scheme because the Watson commerce, the Browns used multi-TE units 24% of the time within the 24-3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 10, regardless of wet circumstances.
Stefanski can be hoping to make use of Watson’s arm power and mobility outdoors the pocket to generate extra explosive performs. Over the previous three years, the Browns ranked twenty first in yards per passing try (7.1). However Watson led the league (8.9) in that class in his final full season in 2020. This offseason, the Browns landed Moore and signed veteran speedster Marquise Goodwin to provide Watson extra deep threats.
Certainly one of Stefanski’s most trusted sounding boards, Drew Petzing, left within the offseason to develop into the offensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals. Petzing got here with Stefanski from the Vikings in 2019 and was promoted to teach Cleveland’s quarterbacks final 12 months.
Petzing’s departure has pressured Stefanski to lean much more on offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who has additionally taken Petzing’s place within the quarterback room. Over espresso with Stefanski the Saturday morning earlier than going through the Bengals, Van Pelt instructed including a particular quarterback draw to the sport plan. With 22 seconds left within the first half, Watson checked to that draw earlier than operating by an open lane to the top zone.
“Kevin, he gave me the keys to have the ability to verify to the correct play,” Watson mentioned, “and I noticed the proper look they usually did what we wish them to do and we acquired in the long run zone.”
In his six video games final 12 months, Watson completed with a QBR of 40.4; solely Russell Wilson, Mac Jones, Davis Mills, Carson Wentz and Mayfield fared worse amongst beginning quarterbacks. Brissett posted a QBR of 62.1 in his 11 video games beginning for Cleveland.
However the Browns consider that, with extra time underneath Stefanski, Watson is primed for an enormous bounce-back 12 months.
“He is positively extra comfy with the offense,” Browns Professional Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio mentioned. “We’ve got much more checks in. We’ve got much more completely different run-pass choices [RPOs] that we are able to pull out. Final 12 months, we have been extra simply base stuff.”
After a full offseason in Cleveland, Watson believes he is now higher than ever, together with in Houston, the place in 2020 he led the NFL with 4,823 passing yards.
“I’ve developed to a brand new degree,” Watson mentioned earlier than the season. “I am prepared to have the ability to present that. … I do know I can.”
Eighteen months in the past in that Houston convention room, Stefanski’s greatest promoting level to Watson, in response to sources, was that including a quarterback of his caliber to an already loaded roster may make Cleveland a contender for years to come back.
This season will inform whether or not that shall be so. And whether or not a bet on their partnership is the one which lastly turns the Browns right into a winner.
“We’ll proceed to develop,” Watson mentioned. “When you discuss to the nice ones that performed with their coach … for a really very long time, I believe each 12 months there’s one thing you could evolve and take your offense to a different degree.
“So, it has been nice. It has been enjoyable. It has been very thrilling. I believe he is excited. … And I’m, too.”
