BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – There is never a dull moment when it comes to the Cleveland Browns.
New head coach Kevin Stefanski is learning this the hard way.
“That’s the gig,” Stefanski said with a smile Wednesday afternoon following the introduction of new executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry.
“We have expectations for our players, and we will lay them out once we get everybody back in here on April 6. As it pertains to those conversations, I will be very direct with our players in what we expect from them off the field.”
Running back Kareem Hunt and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made headlines in January for the wrong reasons prompting Stefanski and Berry to sit down with both players and lay out expectations for both going forward.
“With Kareem, we have communicated our expectations for him moving forward. We want guys who are going to be smart, tough and accountable both on and off the field,” Berry said. “Kareem understands that, and we are looking forward to him meshing with our culture moving forward.
“In terms of Odell, both of us have had really good conversation. He is one of the most talented receivers in the league, and we are certainly happy to have him here. Everybody is going to have to fit into our culture in terms of being smart, tough and accountable, and both of those guys know that.”
The Browns don’t sound prepared to move on from either player.
“I want Kareem and Odell on the team this year,” Stefanski said. “Yes, they are players I believe in. Again, two different situations, but to lump them together, I would put them with all of our players. There is a standard that we will set and that we are going to ask of them to adhere to those standards.”
Owner Jimmy Haslam was displeased and concerned about Hunt’s traffic stop by Rocky River Police Jan. 21 on Interstate 90.
“It’s not good. Kareem knows he’s got to do better,” Haslam said. “Kevin and Andrew have talked to him about it and I’ll just leave it at that. What he did is not acceptable. He’s got to do better.”
Hunt was only cited for speeding, but an officer found small amounts of marijuana and an open bottle of alcohol in a backpack during a search of Hunt’s vehicle.
Hunt appeared to sound distraught in the audio from the dashcam video of the traffic stop after the officer placed him in the back of his cruiser. Hunt admitted he would fail a drug test should the NFL administer one.
Haslam declined to provide specifics about how they are handling Hunt going forward.
“That's an internal matter,” Haslam said. “We have and will continue to work closely with Kareem. But he knows our expectations are higher than what he showed a week or two ago.”
Hunt will be a restricted free agent in March, but the team would like to retain Hunt, but with a condition.
“If Kareem can lay out and follow the expectations we've laid out for him,” Haslam said.
Beckham also made headlines following LSU’s national championship win over Clemson for handing out wads of cash to players on the field then slapping a security officer on the butt in the locker room.
An arrest warrant was issued by New Orleans police and later rescinded after the officer declined to press charges.
Haslam expects Beckham to remain a core piece of the team moving forward.
“Absolutely,” Haslam said. “Odell is extremely talented. He was hampered by the groin injury. Listen, he could have done some things better, we could have done some things better. I think Kevin is very excited to have Odell on the team. The surgery went well, he's rehabbing and we look forward to having him and being a big, producer for the team this year.”
