Trust the coach, for he’s the glue
By STEVE KING
The Browns have assembled a veritable all-star team, much like the 1990s Indians did.
Indeed, there is an influx of talent, especially young talent, the Browns have not enjoyed since the Bernie Kosar era of the last half of the 1980s.
The Browns have one of the NFL’s top offenses.
They finally have their franchise quarterback in Baker Mayfield, who should only get better.
He is surrounded by a wealth of talent along the line – it’s one of the best units in the league — and at the skill positions, both running and passing.
They have not one back, but two, in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, ala Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner in the Kosar days, and Mike Pruitt and Greg Pruitt in the Kardiac Kids days of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
With Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins, they have their best set of receivers since the Kosar years of Webster Slaughter, Reggie Langhorne and Brian Brennan.
They have possibly – no, not possibly, but rather definitely – the best offensive line coach in the business in Bill Callahan. He is to this offense when coordinator Lindy Infante was to the Browns of 1986 and ’87.
The Browns will be much, much improved defensively.
They have Myles Garrett, their most talented defensive end since Pro Football Hall of Famer Len Ford 70 years ago.
With Jadeveon Clowney opposite Garrett, the Browns have their best set of defensive ends since Paul Wiggin and Bill Glass from 1962-67.
Their secondary, especially at safety with the addition of John Johnson, will be better, and if health persists, they will have four good cornerbacks in Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, Troy Hill and Greedy Williams.
Even their linebackers will be better. Rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is a guy to watch.
In “The Scottish Hammer,” Jamie Gillan, they have a guy who can put them out of trouble.
And in Andrew Berry, they have one of the best young general managers in football. He thinks things that some other GMs have a hard time visualizing, or accepting.
Yes, to be sure, the Browns have quality both on and off the field.
But none of this, while it is all certainly important, particularly at quarterback with Mayfield, because a team can’t win consistently without a good quarterback, is the Browns’ biggest strength.
Instead, that is Kevin Stefanski. Finally, after the likes of Eric Mangini, Hue Jackson and Pat Shurmur, the Browns have a very good head coach, and someone whose greatest asset is his ability to adapt. Even with the all the crazy stuff that happened last year with the Browns because of COVID-19, Stefanski refused to cave. On the contrary, he rolled with the punches and made positives out of potential disasters. He’s a football Renaissance man in that he understands that the only thing constant is change, and the only way to cope with it is to change with it. He’s also pragmatic and understands that each year is a story unto itself and that no stories continue from year to year.
This is why – Stefanski is why – I don’t think the Browns will rest on their laurels of a year ago and take a step back. He won’t allow it. More than anything, behind closed doors and out in the open, every single day and night, he is preaching the need to stay hungry, focused and disciplined.
He is to the Browns what Terry Francona, the best manager in baseball, is to the Indians. He is the face of the team and the leader, not in a dominating way but rather a smart, savvy, principled and calm manner.
I believe in Stefanski. I really, truly do.
And I’m certain the players believe – strongly so – in him as well.
All this bodes well for the 2021 Browns, which is the bottom line.
