It’s been quite a hectic offseason for the Cleveland Browns. With the arrival of Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, and the return of 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco, head coach Kevin Stefanski has surely had a sweaty start to the summer-and not just because of the heat that’s sweeping across the country.
The pressure on Stefanski’s shoulders is immense. Since the departure of Baker Mayfield-who managed to steady the ship, make the team competitive, and build a solid foundation for future seasons-everything fell apart once he left. It was back to square one, again.
After Mayfield’s exit and Flacco’s brief but promising stint, the team seemed to rebound-though only for a season, as he moved on to the Colts. Once again, the Browns were forced to restart. Adding to their woes, the massive $230 million contract given to Deshaun Watson has so far yielded no real production. It’s a classic case of stumbling over the same stone-again and again.
Finally, a smart move by the Browns
The Cleveland Browns announced the release of defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo and the signing of kicker Andre Szmyt, who had previously been on their practice squad and also played for the UFL’s Battlehawks.
Ogbo was a top target for the Browns a year ago, acquired via free agency and signed to a three-year, $19 million deal. The franchise aimed to create a dominant pass-rushing duo alongside Myles Garrett.
But as often happens in sports-and in life-things don’t always go as planned. The numbers were disappointing and the pairing inconsistent: just 7.5 sacks across 30 games, and a chest injury that sidelined Okoronkwo for the entire 2023 season.
Younger talent gets a chance
Now, the Browns will turn their focus toward developing younger players. Alex Wright, Isaiah McGuire, and new additions Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Julian Okwara are expected to step up and hopefully reach the performance level the team is aiming for.
With no guaranteed money owed to Ogbo, the decision was relatively straightforward for the Browns’ leadership, who opted for financial practicality over sentiment.
To keep things on a positive note, Ogbo left a parting message for his now-former team: “Love to the Land.”
As for Andre Szmyt, he appears to be a solid addition. Having previously been part of the Browns’ practice squad in 2024, he’s already familiar with the organization. He tallied 85 career field goals, 199 PATs, and holds Syracuse’s all-time scoring record. Not to mention his kickoffs-he averaged 61.5 yards per kick in 2021.
The Browns’ real dilemma: picking a quarterback
With four quarterbacks competing for the starting job, this remains the biggest challenge Stefanski faces. While Kenny Pickett seems to have the edge over Flacco, Shedeur, and Dillon, the situation is still fluid.
There are two months left before the start of the season, but by late August, we’ll likely know which of them will be entrusted with leading the Browns in 2025.
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