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Jeremy Fowler, senior national NFL reporter
LAS COLINAS, Texas — Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said he is perplexed by his team’s 3-10 record but will evaluate his performance as a whole after the season, including his prospects at quarterback. field.
He also expressed his support for coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry.
“We went from 11-6 and made the playoffs to 3-10, so it’s a little disconcerting what happened,” Haslam told ESPN as he left the NFL owners’ meetings on Wednesday.
Asked if he has the right players alongside Stefanski and Berry, Haslam added: “Yes, we do. We support him a lot.”
Berry and Stefanski signed contract extensions before the 2024 season and made the playoffs together in 2020 and 2023.
The main problem for Cleveland is the quarterback position. Deshaun Watson is owed $92 million in guaranteed money over the next two years. He has battled injuries and poor play since the team acquired him from the Houston Texans and then signed him to a record contract in 2022. He is currently rehabbing an Achilles tear suffered in Week 7.
Cutting Watson would cause salary cap hits well in excess of $100 million.
Jameis Winston has provided a spark with Watson sidelined, surpassing 300 passing yards in three of his six starts, but the Browns are 2-4 during that stretch.
When asked about the outlook for the quarterback position, Haslam said it’s too early to make any decisions.
“We need to finish the season and we will analyze everything,” he told ESPN.
The Browns are slated to have a top-10 pick in the NFL draft, their first first-round pick since 2021, that they could use on a quarterback. Hiring a veteran communicator is also an option.
But the team’s problems this season transcend the quarterback.
The total defense that ranked first last year under coordinator Jim Schwartz has fallen to 21st overall this year. A once-elite rushing attack has fallen to 30th.
While Haslam said the Browns have “a lot of needs as a team” and will need to prioritize them, he acknowledges the team has enough talent to avoid a full-scale rebuild.
“We are all disappointed,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do. We’ll come back and get to work.”
“I’ve learned not to get too emotional during the season. We’ll sit down after the season and go over everything for next year.”
The Browns’ remaining schedule includes the Kansas City Chiefs at home on Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16, the Miami Dolphins at home in Week 17 and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18.
