Big year for Kevin Stefanski

So much has been made – and rightfully so – that this is a make-or-break year for quarterback Baker Mayfield, at least as far as the Browns portion of his career is concerned.

After an outstanding performance in a little less than a full schedule of games as a rookie in 2018, he suffered what could be referred to as a sophomore slump last season. He just didn’t look the same in any sense of the term, and his poor numbers reflect that.

So, Mayfield has to improve – or else.

Or else, what?

Ugh. Or else the Browns will have to go looking for their franchise quarterback – once again. The Browns believe him to be that – THE guy, as it were – because he was that, and then some, two years ago. He just needs to get back to that.

And the person who was hired to get him back to that is new head coach. Of course, making this a big year for Kevin Stefanski.

OK, OK, so the guy working most closely with Mayfield will be quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt. I get that.

But let’s be honest here, folks, in that whatever happens with Mayfield – good hopefully, or bad, hopefully not – the man who will be canonized, or burned at the stake, is Stefanski.

Stefanski is a quarterbacks guy. He is an offensive guy, and so he is building an offense that will best suit Mayfield and the players the coach and General Manager Andrew Berry have brought in, and will continue to bring in. The Browns have spent a lot of money on offensive assets in free agency to help make sure this set-up has the best chance to succeed.

But if it doesn’t – if Mayfield fails and the Browns have a hard time winning games – then the quarterback will be in big trouble here.

And so will Stefanski, which is a point everybody seems to be missing.

It’s Stefanski’s job to win, and if the Browns, who played poorly last year and finished 6-10, don’t do better than that in 2020, then the coach – just like the quarterback – will have failed to do his job. Stefanski wouldn’t be jettisoned immediately, like Mayfield would be, but he will have taken a major step in that direction.

Keep that in mind as we go forward.

Big year for Kevin Stefanski was written by Steve King

More:

• “Source: Browns’ Chris Hubbard agrees to big pay cut” (ESPN) 
• Jim Donovan and Doug Dieken – Simply the best
• “Browns announce signings of defensive tackle Andrew Billings, center Evan Brown” (cleveland.com)
• “OBJ trade to 49ers won’t be happening this year” (PFT) 
• “5 things to know about new Browns FB Andy Janovich” (Browns.com)