CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kevin Stefanski will look at everything during the bye this week to turn around the 2-6 team, including possibly turning playcalling over to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
“I need to spend time on all those things, and I think it’s by position we have to be better and we have to put our players in better spots, if you will, and that includes every position,” Stefanski said. “So, we’ll look at all of it this week and make a decision coming out of the bye.”
The rookie-centric Browns are 31st in total yards per game at 263.5, and 30th in points at 15.8. Dillon Gabriel has tumbled to 28th in the NFL with a 78.4 rating. With Gabriel at the helm, the receivers aren’t flourishing, catching just 2 of 9 targets in Sunday’s 32-13 loss to the Patriots.
Something’s got to give coming out of the bye, when the face the 1-7 Jets in New York on Nov. 9, and Stefanski has already said it’s not going to be switching out Gabriel for fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.
The Browns also don’t seem poised to trade for a veteran receiver, preferring to develop their young guys. They’ll also get No. 2 receiver Cedric Tillman (hamstring) back after the bye following his four-game stint on injured reserve.
“To have success as an offense, you have to be efficient in what you’re doing, and you have to be explosive in what you’re doing,” Stefanski said. “And in order to do that, we have to put guys in certain spots, put them in whatever position it may be at – wide receiver, tight end, running back, if you will, and find ways to maximize their skill set. So, when you’re not having the success that we need to be having and we’re working towards, obviously we’re not doing enough.
Last season, Stefanski turned the playcalling over to former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after Deshaun Watson went down with his retorn Achilles in October, but things didn’t get any better down the stretch.
Perhaps a switch to Rees, who called plays at Notre Dame, where he played quarterback, and at Alabama, might jumpstart the sluggish unit.
Stefanski still determined to get the ball to Jerry Jeudy
Joe Flacco said earlier this season that as Jerry Jeudy goes, so goes the Browns offense, and Jeudy hasn’t been going lately. He didn’t get a target until early in the fourth quarter, and went 0-2. Over the past two weeks, he’s caught 2 of 6 targets for 17 yards, and Gabriel has struggled to connect with his receivers in general. Isaiah Bond went 0-for-4 in New England, with one pass intended for him getting picked off.
But it’s Jeudy, a 2024 Pro Bowler, that Stefanski is most concerned about.
“I’m frustrated with that loss,” Stefanski said. “I’m frustrated that we don’t get the ball to Jerry, our best wide receiver, earlier in that game and throughout that game. Now, are there always reasons for those types of things? Sure, but it’s not lost on me that Jerry’s our best player at that position, and we have to get him the ball.
“That goes back to the earlier comment we talked about, just making sure we have our guys in the right positions, whether it’s, where they’re playing on the formation, the routes we’re asking, the run, et cetera, et cetera.”
Carson Schwesinger week-to-week with sprained ankle
Schwesinger left the game in the second half with a sprained ankle after he got rolled up on by a teammate, and hobbled out in a right walking boot. It’s believed to be a high ankle sprain, but Stefanski wouldn’t confirm it.
He said they’ll see how Schwesinger’s doing after the bye, but that he’ll be week to week. The second-round pick recorded his first career interception in the loss.
RB Quinshon Judkins and S Rayshawn Jenkins day-to-day
Judkins (shoulder) and Jenkins (groin) are both day-to-day after suffering injuries during the Patriots game. They’ll have the bye week to heal, and see how they feel for the Jets game.
Judkins injury is sprain of the AC joint.
Tyson Campbell in the concussion protocol
Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell suffered a concussion with 6:56 left in the third quarter and is in the protocol. The Browns hope he’s cleared by the Jets game.
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