INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns are back in the quarterback market here in Indianapolis, just not the starting variety.
The Browns will likely add a veteran quarterback behind Baker Mayfield and on Wednesday a pair of names surfaced.
CBS NFL Insider Jason LaCanfora reported that Chase Daniel is on the Browns radar and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that Case Keenum is also “under consideration.”
Daniel spent last season in Chicago where he started three games the past two seasons, behind Mitchell Trubisky while Keenum, who worked with head coach Kevin Stefanski in 2017 at Minnesota, was in Washington.
“I think we'll take the same approach as we are at the other positions,” Stefanski said Tuesday. “I just know it's great to bring in good players that fit what we want to be in terms of being smart, accountable and tough. We'll treat that quarterback position the same way. We'll kind of identify what we have there and if need be, we'll bring in some players to add to the mix.”
While it is undecided if new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will call the plays or Stefanski, both will have a stronger voice when it comes to the quarterbacks on the roster with EVP/GM Andrew Berry’s blessing.
Keenum is the more experienced veteran between the two having started 47 games over the last five seasons, which could cost more, but with Mayfield still under a rookie contract the Browns should be able to absorb the cost and investment at the position.
Veteran Drew Stanton, who sat most of 2019 out because of a knee injury, is a free agent and the Browns are expected to let him hit the market and bring in a fresh face.
More on Mayfield – NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted an interesting nugget about Mayfield and the Browns offseason plans to help him get back on track Wednesday morning.
“An important focus for the #Browns heading into 2020: QB Baker Mayfield’s fitness and body makeup. From what I understand, he put on some weight last year to bulk up and lost some quickness. His plan is to be slimmer & faster this year, with an emphasis on being in better shape.”
Mayfield did add a little weight last season, less than 10 pounds a source said, to provide some additional protection for himself but the perception that Mayfield was or is out of shape is not accurate.
“I think Baker is a talented player,” Stefanski said. “I think we're going to give him some opportunities to improve in how we play but you mentioned the ability to make off-schedule plays and I think Baker has that as well.”
Stefanski made it clear Tuesday that he is all aboard when it comes to Mayfield and getting him back to his rookie form.
“He didn't have the year I think he wanted to have,” Stefanski said. “It's our job to get him in the building on April 6 and start laying the foundation for a productive year for him. That's an all-encompassing thing in the meeting room, on the practice field, and to see him have a good 2020.”
Open door – Collaboration has always sounded good but never really been applied in Cleveland, at least successfully, but maybe Berry and Stefanski can finally prove it can be done.
It starts with both of them having an open-door policy for each other.
“I think Andrew has been great at leaning on the position coaches at each one of the positions. He'll pop in and sit in each one of those offices for a bunch of time just to get their feel,” Stefanski said. “I think it's important that, like I said before, our coaches' job is to coach, but Andrew does a great job of being collaborative and making sure that we're all on the same page and bringing the players who fit our scheme. He's been outstanding in terms of getting input from each of our guys.”
Berry views coaching input – not just from Stefanski, but his assistants – as a vital element to his ability to do his job as the top football executive in charge of procuring talent.
“I’ve never been a part of an organization where the head coach isn’t involved in personnel decisions, because at the end of the day, it’s the head coach’s vision that drives the offensive and defensive systems, so I want his input,” Berry said. “I want his insight, especially as we’re starting off together to make sure that we’re finding players that fit in terms of the offensive and defensive scheme.”
Berry and Stefanski seem to be off to a great start working together and neither seem to have the type of territorial personality often seen in the NFL, and especially in Berea over the years.
Helping hand – Berry brought in his old boss from the Colts, Ryan Grigson, in a consulting role which could turn into more after the draft.
“Ryan is going to serve in an advisory role this spring,” Berry said Tuesday. “And with Ryan we view him [as] a former general manager, a former NFL executive of the year, a very respected talent evaluator across the league. Think he can provide a wealth of wisdom during this draft cycle and then post-draft we'll kind of look at football operations and really see if it's a long-term fit.”
Moving on – Former Browns general manager John Dorsey is in Indianapolis this week doing his own scouting. It’s a similar approach Dorsey took after he was fired by Kansas City in the summer of 2017 that prepared him for the job in Cleveland.
Former assistant general manager Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Alonzo Highsmith are working with the Seahawks as consultants for the draft and are exploring their options going forward.
As is customary when changes are made, the Browns are honoring the contracts for all three.
