Report: Browns fire offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt

Vambo

@flugel said:

Thanks for the update Vambo! I just turned on the NFL Channel and it scrolled the names of the coaches the Browns fired. Then, it said Alex Van Pelt remains under contract. Having said that, it's possible your update/news above is more recent. I'll double-check it all later for us.

What I’m hearing is behind Browns’ changes as Alex Van Pelt is fired – Terry Pluto

What I’m hearing is behind Browns’ changes as Alex Van Pelt is fired – Terry Pluto (msn.com)

On the surface, that question looms after they fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt along with running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.

Didn’t the Browns finish with an 11-6 record? Didn’t they win games with four different quarterbacks? Didn’t they survive major injuries to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and several key offensive linemen?

So why shake up the offensive coaching staff?

It starts with Watson.

This is my opinion based on things I’m hearing. It’s not coming from the Browns.

Nor is this only about Watson. He had nothing to do with the firings. It’s that the Browns know they need to change something on offense, especially when it comes to turning Watson into at least a top 10-rated QB.

nickers

@vambo said:

What I’m hearing is behind Browns’ changes as Alex Van Pelt is fired – Terry Pluto

What I’m hearing is behind Browns’ changes as Alex Van Pelt is fired – Terry Pluto (msn.com)

On the surface, that question looms after they fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt along with running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.

Didn’t the Browns finish with an 11-6 record? Didn’t they win games with four different quarterbacks? Didn’t they survive major injuries to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and several key offensive linemen?

So why shake up the offensive coaching staff?

It starts with Watson.

This is my opinion based on things I’m hearing. It’s not coming from the Browns.

Nor is this only about Watson. He had nothing to do with the firings. It’s that the Browns know they need to change something on offense, especially when it comes to turning Watson into at least a top 10-rated QB.

Watson is toast... it will take him at least 2 season just to get completely healthy again... What waste of time and money...

calfoxwc

@nickers said:

Watson is toast... it will take him at least 2 season just to get completely healthy again... What waste of time and money...

yep - "here we go again". I expect him to make sure he gets hurt every so often, so he won't fail. These firings?

One step forward, two steps back.

syd

Stay up to date with every interview request, completed interview, and anything that pertains to the job here with this offensive coordinator tracker!

syd

other news Bill Callahan's son Brian is interviewing for head coaching job's. Doe's Bill go with him if hired ?

syd

Jim Schwartz meeting with Titans connection about potential Browns DL coach job

Cory Kinnan

January 18, 2024 1:29 pm ET

Ryan Crow, a Jim Schwartz connection from their time with the Tennessee Titans, is meeting with the Cleveland Browns about a potential spot on their defensive staff.

Currently the outside linebackers coach of the Titans, he can interview with other teams as they look for a new job. According to Paul Kuharsky, Crow will meet with the Browns to discuss their job as the defensive line coach.

The one issue, however? The Browns do not currently have an opening at defensive line coach as Ben Bloom holds the post. Bloom was a holdover from the previous regime though, so Schwartz might be looking to bring his own guy in to coach the engine of his defense: the defensive line.

Similarly to the offensive side of the ball, the Browns are looking to improve. For the offense, that was overhauling the staff on that side of the ball. For Schwartz, this is looking to upgrade an already strong unit by getting a new voice in the room.

Dutch Oven

If the Browns bring in an OC that is given the power to call plays, it's an admission from Stefanski that he's not exactly built to run an offense that actually suits Watson, and I'd possibly understand why some changes were made. I'd take that as a positive move for the team.

If an OC comes in and Stefanski still calls plays, then I'd be kind of confused by all this.

Orion

@vambo said:

What I’m hearing is behind Browns’ changes as Alex Van Pelt is fired – Terry Pluto

What I’m hearing is behind Browns’ changes as Alex Van Pelt is fired – Terry Pluto (msn.com)

On the surface, that question looms after they fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt along with running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.

Didn’t the Browns finish with an 11-6 record? Didn’t they win games with four different quarterbacks? Didn’t they survive major injuries to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and several key offensive linemen?

So why shake up the offensive coaching staff?

It starts with Watson.

This is my opinion based on things I’m hearing. It’s not coming from the Browns.

Nor is this only about Watson. He had nothing to do with the firings. It’s that the Browns know they need to change something on offense, especially when it comes to turning Watson into at least a top 10-rated QB.

This is from the article: They like Stefanski as a play-caller. He probably will return to that role next season, but that could be under discussion based upon who is hired as the new offensive coordinator.

The Browns are looking to the outside for some new ideas to fire up the offense. Now that they made the playoffs, they want to find ways to become an elite team.

For that to happen, Watson has to at least approach his former Pro Bowl production. The goal is for the new coaches on offense to make that happen.

mjp28

@nickers said:

Watson is toast... it will take him at least 2 season just to get completely healthy again... What waste of time and money...

Yes ..... and the waste of time is B-A-D nobody gets time back. Now the money part is just a S-T-U-P-I-D $$$$ deal a gazillion guaranteed dollars ...... really ? To a guy who hasn't thrown a football in a real NFL game..... * in almost two years. ???? They just gave ALL the leverage totally away. Too many bad things could happen here. Unreal.

...... edit add ..... * almost forgot that part. Dumb deal award !

syd

All qualifying quarterbacks (including Browns' Deshaun Watson and Joe Flacco) ranked by QBR

calfoxwc

@syd said:

All qualifying quarterbacks (including Browns' Deshaun Watson and Joe Flacco) ranked by QBR

Brock Purdy, #1. That was an amazing find. He only made 870,000 this year. "Mr. Irrevevent"

syd

dude needs a raise

Kvoethe

Another knee jerk rxn...

gumby73

Browns vacated coaching updates

interviewed former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey

former Carolina Panthers assistant head coach Duce Staley

Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.

Houston QB coach on deck https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/article/browns-interviewing-jerrod-johnson-225872587/

Orion

@syd said:

All qualifying quarterbacks (including Browns' Deshaun Watson and Joe Flacco) ranked by QBR

The Cleveland Browns went 8-2 in the regular season with quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Joe Flacco under center.

They then went 3-3 in the games that Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker had to start

Those 3 wins came from good defense, good FG kicking, and good coaching.

Here's what I want in our new OC. Somebody who'll walk up to Watson and teach him how to stay healthy. Teach him to run as a last resort. Teach him to get down early. He's not built like Lamar Jackson. We need him out there completing passes every week! Perhaps Deuce? He was a RB. Perhaps he'd tell Watson that he ain't one! And that we have other guys on the offense that do that.

ballpeen

Before the season started we saw reports that the browns o was going to be different and exciting. Once the season started, it was the same O.

Stefanski and more on point, Van Pelt can't get away from 20th century, west coast offense. If you look at Watson, most of the college QB's heading in to the pro's, they play a 21st century O. It is shotgun based. AVP couldn't adjust to getting us in a shotgun based O, and Stump can't coach backs running inside zone runs out of a shotgun.

We can't expect to get the most out of our O running a 90's offense in 2024. That is the same as a team in the 80's running an O out of the 50's.

Time to up the thinking.

Flugel

@orion said:

Those 3 wins came from good defense, good FG kicking, and good coaching.

Here's what I want in our new OC. Somebody who'll walk up to Watson and teach him how to stay healthy. Teach him to run as a last resort. Teach him to get down early. He's not built like Lamar Jackson. We need him out there completing passes every week! Perhaps Deuce? He was a RB. Perhaps he'd tell Watson that he ain't one! And that we have other guys on the offense that do that.

Even if he was built like Lamar Jackson, Jackson has had his share of injuries over the years too.

I'm not really excited about seeing Ken Dorsey as an OC candidate at all. That's actually terrifying.

Flugel

@gumby73 said:

Browns vacated coaching updates

interviewed former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey

former Carolina Panthers assistant head coach Duce Staley

Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.

Houston QB coach on deck https://247sports.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/article/browns-interviewing-jerrod-johnson-225872587/

Thanks for sharing this Gumbs!

The Bills were 5-5 with Dorsey as their OC. After they fired him, Buffalo won 6 of their last 7 games to finish 1 the AFC East. Then they beat Pittsburgh before KC reminded them "Who's your daddy?"

Going after Ken Dorsey today would be like going after Rich Kotite to run your offense back in the day. Why?

Staley and Dickerson seem like good ideas though...

nickers

@flugel said:

Thanks for sharing this Gumbs!

The Bills were 5-5 with Dorsey as their OC. After they fired him, Buffalo won 6 of their last 7 games to finish 1 the AFC East. Then they beat Pittsburgh before KC reminded them "Who's your daddy?"

Going after Ken Dorsey today would be like going after Rich Kotite to run your offense back in the day. Why?

Staley and Dickerson seem like good ideas though...

The Dorsey thing doesn't matter if Kev is still calling the plays... Nothing will change...

tiamat63

@ballpeen said:

Before the season started we saw reports that the browns o was going to be different and exciting. Once the season started, it was the same O.

Stefanski and more on point, Van Pelt can't get away from 20th century, west coast offense. If you look at Watson, most of the college QB's heading in to the pro's, they play a 21st century O. It is shotgun based. AVP couldn't adjust to getting us in a shotgun based O, and Stump can't coach backs running inside zone runs out of a shotgun.

We can't expect to get the most out of our O running a 90's offense in 2024. That is the same as a team in the 80's running an O out of the 50's.

Time to up the thinking.

I don't ever remember the Brownies running weakside QB power like an old single wing from an empty motion previous to week 1 against Cincy. Closest I can remember was the QB sweep against PIT to burn clock and make us playoff bound in 2020.

While I don't have the numbers, I'm confident in saying there was more gun and 11 personnel usage with Watson than previous QBs. This concluded with the epic win over the ravens.

West Coast is a relative term. It generally means timing throws, which are structured and layered within every offense in football. And with that, a certain play call string language that mostly meant individually tagging receivers with numbered routes. Which might not be a predominant in the Browns lingo, but you'll find things derived from it in just about every offense as well. No different than romance languages sharing similarities by having a common ancestor in Latin.

Also worth pointing out, one of the most efficient and consistent offenses in the NFL during his time as a head coach has been younger Shanahan in San Fran. The same team who, last I checked, was top 2 in 21 personnel usage with a vehicle driven by under center ball action and timing throws.

Odd how an old dog can still get it done with some old tricks that are windowed dressed appropriately.

Re: Stef and Van Pelt. They didn't get Flaccos arm hit as he was trying to bomb a post-corner that ended up in a DBs lap. And they sure as fuck didn't make Flacco lock onto a primary with a little stick-out, believing he had man all the way instead of reading the strong side hook correctly.

Any heavy handed critique lobbed at the coaching staff after how they over performed this season is idiotic at best.