Browns Accused of Making Major Roster Decision Behind Kevin Stefanski’s Back

The Cleveland Browns revealed what is potentially a major organizational fissure with the trade of quarterback Joe Flacco this week, which indicated that significant changes to leadership could be on the way.

Cleveland flipped the veteran signal-caller and a sixth-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday in exchange for a fifth-round selection in next year’s NFL draft. The following day, head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke to reporters and made comments that indicated the team may not have consulted him on the decision beforehand.

“Well, first I’d tell you the Joe [Flacco] trade took us by surprise. That was not something that we saw coming,” Stefanski said. “You know, they called us, and it happened very fast — and happened not too long ago. So, still working through all roster types of things.”

Browns Insiders Believe Kevin Stefanski Upset Over Team’s Decision to Trade Joe Flacco

Stefanski could also have been merely saying that the opportunity to trade Flacco for a reasonably valuable draft pick took the entire franchise by surprise. And in that context, the front office may have kept Stefanski in the loop and included him in the decision-making process from the jump.

However, that is not how Emmett Golden of ESPN Cleveland interpreted the situation when Aaron Goldhammer asked him over the radio waves Wednesday if Golden believed that Browns general manager Andrew Berry consulted Stefanski on the Flacco trade.

“No, I think he was told,” Golden said flatly. “And again, this is just what I believe, no inside knowledge to it. But I think he was told, ‘Hey, we got an offer from Cincinnati, and we’re going to take it.'”

“I fully believe that Kevin decides the depth chart, [Berry] decides the roster, and that was a roster move,” Golden continued.

Both men agreed that Stefanski “sounded bothered” by Berry’s decision to move Flacco.

Kevin Stefanski Now Faces Polarizing Decision Involving Shedeur Sanders, QB2 Role

Stefanski now faces a potentially awkward position with regards to rookie signal-caller Shedeur Sanders and the role of backup quarterback.

Stefanski kept Sanders at QB3 after demoting Flacco in favor of Dillon Gabriel ahead of the team’s Week 5 contest against the Minnesota Vikings in London. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network asserted that the team was trying to protect Sanders from stepping into a game for which it had tailored the offensive plans to Gabriel’s skill set rather than to Sanders’.

However, Stefanski must now make a call on promoting fourth-year veteran Bailey Zappe to QB2, who has spent all season on the practice squad to this point, or moving Sanders up the depth chart.

“With young players, I’m always thinking about last week, making the change to Dillon [Gabriel],” Stefanski said Wednesday in response to a question about whether Sanders will be Gabriel’s backup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. “You have to think long and hard about that. … So, I’ll let the week play out and make a decision later on.”

Cowboys Brace for Panthers’ ‘Dirty Ball’ Kickoff Strategy in Week 6

It’s become known as the “dirty ball” and for the Cowboys, one of the jobs on special teams this Sunday in Week 6 against the Panthers, the job will be to clean it up.

The author of this dirty ball is rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald, who has developed a niche on kickoffs–his ability to knock unpredictable, low line drives that come up just short of the goal line and force players in the return game into uncomfortable situations. Opponents gain just 19.3 yards on Panthers kickoff returns, second-best in the NFL behind the Rams.

It was something that Patriots coach Mike Vrabel warned against when New England faced the Panthers. Said Vrabel: “It starts with the kicker, kicks a good kick, dirty kick. So, he’s had the returners sometimes confused. He’s kicking them when he kicks them deep. They’re right at the goal line, forcing you to return them.”

Cowboys Can’t Replicate ‘Dirty’ Kick in Practice

And now it is the Cowboys’ turn to decipher Fitzgerald’s kicks. Special teams coach Nick Sorensen said part of the problem is that it’s very difficult to replicate the kicks in practice.

“It’s tough, because you can’t get the JUGS (machines) to kick them, as much as we tried,” Sorensen said. “And then Brandon (Aubrey), Brandon will kick them too. He’ll try and work on them. Those aren’t 100%. Some guys are better than others, but he tries to give us different looks at it, too.”

It’s a problem for the Cowboys because under new rules, if Fitzgerald lands the ball in the the so-called “landing zone,” and it trickles into the end zone for a touchback, the ensuing drive starts on the 20-yard line.

Panthers Cover Kicks Well, Too

Panthers coach Dave Canales credited not only the foot of Fitzgerald’s for Carolina’s special-teams success, but also the enthusiasm with which his coverage teams backs up the dirty kicks. With the uncertainty of the the landing angle, the possibility of a big play is there for the coverage group.

As Canales said: .”We watched all the kickoff coverages as a team. Just to show the spirit of our play-style, I truly believe that kickoff coverage kind of exemplifies who we want to be and that’s why I love special teams, but especially on kickoff, especially when you can start the game with a kick to be able to show the effort, the enthusiasm after great places of them celebrating the toughness, playing smart off of each other and then finishing each play.”

Cowboys Unsure on Return Men

It won’t help that usual kick returner KaVontae Turpin is likely to be out in Week 6. He’s day-to-day with a foot injury but indicated in practice he is more likely to return for Week 7. And, generally speaking, the good news for the Cowboys is that the Panthers are no juggernaut–they’re 24th in the NFL in points, at 20.4.

The Cowboys hope there are a limited number of kickoffs, then. And they’ll hope they’re ready when they come.

“So we tried to work those a little but yesterday, today with our guys. But they’re tough,” Sorensen said. “No two are exactly the same. And you know with the football, the weird shape that thing is, you can’t duplicate where that thing comes down. That’s what this guy (Fitzgerald) has done really good.”