CLEVELAND, OHIO (TheOBR.com) - Good morning, Cleveland Browns fans! At last, bye week is over, and the Browns are heading to what some wags call "The Fernando Mendoza Bowl" between the 1-7 New York Jets and 2-6 Browns. This is important because I always wanted to use the old-timey phrase "wags", but otherwise merely speculative because there's so much season left to play.
I've gone through dozens of stories in my feed this morning, and found little that isn't clickbait, but what's there is interesting. Let's get to it.
THE DAILY BLOVIATION
Our Jack Duffin tackles a complex subject this morning, regarding whether the Browns should keep or move on from General Manager Andrew Berry. Jack does ridiculous things, such as actually analyzing Berry's drafts, trades, and free agent moves before revealing his perspective on the question.
Unfortunately, Berry's future is not controlled by logical, detail-oriented Jack Duffin. Instead, it's the domain of ex-Truck Stop Magnate Jimmy Haslam and his wife, Dee, and they appear to have already made their decision that Berry gets at least another year.
You can tell because Berry is clearly planning for the future with his moves in 2025. He's not acting at all like someone watching his back. The latest piece of evidence comes from none other than NFL nosey-person Adam Schefter, who says the Browns aren't sellers at the deadline, but buyers of young talent.
This ties to the team's recent acquisition of cornerback Tyson Campbell, a player who was struggling a bit in the Jaguars system, but seems to be thriving in Cleveland's more man-oriented scheme. One of the reasons Berry traded for Campbell was that he was under contract for a few more years and possessed some of the attributes that Berry and the team's defensive coordinator seemed to like. It was a move looking as much to 2026 and 2027 as to the present, as Berry dealt off a former high draft pick in a contract year who would probably have wanted more money than indicated by the team's interpretation of his skill set.
The same feeling of job security is reflected in this year's draft, where Berry did some unusual things by drafting five offensive skill players (Fannin, Judkins, Sampson, and quarterbacks Gabriel and Sanders) rather than patching glaring holes in the wide receiver corps and offensive line. It smacks of a GM building a long-term foundation for the team based on who he thinks is the top player at draft position rather than one desperate to slap Bondo over roster holes to save his job in 2025.
Jimmy Haslam, Andrew Berry
The architect and his boss. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Schefter's indication that the team isn't conducting a fire sale or dealing off David Njoku just because they can is, to me, an indicator that the team already has an armory full of draft picks for 2026, more than a desperation to save their skin by hoping for a dynamic second half. If Berry gets what he thinks is a great deal or an overpayment, he may indeed deal off Njoku, but he may also be interested in seeing if he can sign the still under-30 tight end to a reasonable short-term deal to have him around in 2026 and 2027.
Keep in mind, however, that the way that Schefter phrased his scoop very much indicates that he's getting his information from around the NFL rather than the tight-lipped Browns themselves. He's quoting executives who are getting calls from the Browns rather than a source within the team. So, it's up to us to fill in the blanks.
And that space can safely be filled in because Andrew Berry isn't acting like someone desperate to turn things around in 2025. He's acting like someone focused on the future of the franchise a couple of years down the road.
From a high-level perspective, as one who was screaming for stability not too many years ago, I approve of the general concept of having a GM with a multi-year planning horizon. Whether Berry is the person ideal for that role is very much up for debate, and I have no doubt the comments will be replete with posts from folks who think they've seen enough to make a decision. They might be right, but I suspect we'll have the luxury of finding out because, from the way he's behaving, Andrew Berry is going to get a chance beyond 2025.
Have a good one! GO BROWNS!
Newswire Bloviation Archive
OBR BROWNS GOODIES
OBR ARTICLES
Should The Cleveland Browns Keep Or Move On From Andrew Berry - WRITER
Cleveland Browns News and Rumors 112 Extraordinary Accomplishments - WRITER
OBR MESSAGE BOARD POSTS
ASK THE INSIDERS (VIP)
Jack when can we start
Qb or bust in 26?
A Request on posting
Any chance we see Shadeur
Assuming a Miami Fire Sale: Waddle
Browns as buyers at trade deadline?
Browns as buyers at trade deadline?
Follow up biggest fear ….
INSIDER DISCUSSION (VIP)
Howd we get here? (Kind of long)
THE WATERCOOLER
Is Stefanski Haslam's Greatest Analytics Success?
The Official I Made a Duplicate Thread Thread.
The Official I Made a Duplicate Thread Thread.
Bye Week Melt Thread
The Official Last Member Standing Thread Week 10
THE LIFT
Positive news from the world of sports and beyond...
Seniors Who Listen to Music May Slash Their Dementia Risk by Over a Third - (goodnewsnetwork.org)
This is positive news for me, as I'm a senior who listens to music constantly throughout the day while working here at the OBR World Headquarters and Technology Campus. When I'm full of energy, I'm typically listening to musicians like Solar Fields , who produce music that doesn't distract me but still helps keep my mind engaged. When I lack energy, it's time for rock and roll.
What it means for other seniors, I'm not sure, but if you're not listening to music, I suggest you start. Still, this is good news for me, which is enough to slap it in The Lift for a day.
WRAPPING UP
When not grooving semi-consciously, Barry McBride is the Publisher and Founder of the OBR and bloviates this nonsense every morning. You can follow him on Twitter @barrymcbride or write him at barry@theobr.com if you are so compelled.
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