The Browns have hired Mets VP/Player Development & Scouting Paul DePodesta as the team's new Chief Strategy Officer, according to Joel Sherman of the N.Y. POST. DePodesta, who has "never worked in pro football," is viewed as being "outstanding at organization, analytics and putting together scouting groups." The Browns "began pursuing him shortly after the Mets lost the World Series." DePodesta in his new role "will answer to just the Browns' ownership" and team President Alec Scheiner (NYPOST.com, 1/5). ESPN.com's Mortensen & Werder report DePodesta "will be above" recently promoted Exec VP/Football Operations Sashi Brown. He will have a "significant voice in determining Browns personnel decisions, including what, if anything, the team does this offseason" with QB Johnny Manziel. While DePodesta's career success has been in MLB, he has "desired opportunities in the NFL" (ESPN.com, 1/5). Mortensen called DePodesta the "ultimate analytics guy, data guy” and noted Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam III “believes there's a better way to create a vision for your team.” Mortensen said the hiring of DePodesta “is a significant one and is going to create ripples in the world of football.” ESPN’s Jay Crawford called the hiring “revolutionary to football.” ESPN’s Chris McKendry: “It’s a new way of doing things. You’re going to need patience, and that is something Cleveland has never shown” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 1/5).
TWITTER REAX TO HIRING: CBSSports.com's Jason LaCanfora wrote on Twitter, "Browns analytics push even more overt with hiring of Paul DePodesta." ESPN Cleveland's Pat McManamon: "The hiring of Paul DePodesta sure seems to put the Browns all-in on bringing analytics to football and the NFL." NFL Network's Albert Breer: "Wow ... Browns going all-in on analytics." FoxSports.com's Bruce Feldman: "Interesting move..Of course the Browns paid a fortune for analytics research to draft a QB 2 years ago & ignored it." Forbes' Maury Brown: "If you're the Browns... what the heck, take a chance on DePo." Cleveland-based WJW-Fox' John Telich: "Open minded. Nothing previous has worked #Browns #analytics . We'll see. Never a dull moment." Sporting News' Jesse Spector: "It’s not like the Browns have had any success with football people running the team" (TWITTER.com, 1/5).
LATEST PLAN DRAWS SKEPTICISM: The Browns' latest house cleaning, firing coach Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer following Sunday's season finale, drew plenty of reaction on yesterday's afternoon sports talk television shows, with ESPN's Adam Schefter noting the club's plan promote Brown and hire a coach before hiring a GM "has major question marks." ESPN's Louis Riddick said the relationship between Brown and the new coach and GM "has to be rock solid." Riddick: "They better be on the same page, because if there’s any question during the hiring process in the formation of this organization, it will come to light when things starts to hit bumps in the road and then everything goes crazy” ("OTL," ESPN, 1/4). Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said, “The fact that Sashi Brown, a lawyer turned football executive, not only has been promoted into a high-level position but also has final say over the 53-man roster sends a message that anybody out there that has other options at coach or GM (is) most likely to take advantage of those other options. So they’re going to get coaches and general managers, ultimately, who don’t have anywhere else to go" ("PFT," NBCSN, 1/4). ESPN's Ron Jaworski said it is incumbent upon Owner Jimmy Haslam III "to get it right." Jaworski: "He knows the mistakes that he made; he must correct those mistakes and execute a long-term gameplan, then a short-term gameplan to turn around the Cleveland Browns. ESPN’s Trey Wingo said, “The fans deserve better. I mean there are passionate football fans in Cleveland. It’s one of the greatest cities in terms of traditions. ... It’s just unbelievable this will be their fifth head coaching change since 2008" (“NFL Live,” ESPN, 1/4).
KEEPING AN OPEN MIND: FOXSPORTS.com's Mike Garafolo wrote the Browns' decision to give Brown control over the roster "might actually wind up being the first wise one" team Haslam has made. Over the past few years, Brown's name is the "one that's drawn praise when people around the league have spoken" about the Browns. In a front office where "egos clashed, he was noted as the one who seemed to have the franchise's best interests in mind." To say Brown is "going right from being the team's lawyer to its GM would be a mischaracterization on both ends." Several veteran agents have said that contract dealings with Brown were "much more professional than negotiations under previous regimes" (FOXSPORTS.com, 1/4). However, not everyone is as optimistic. In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps wrote promoting Brown is "another unconventional choice for a franchise that has made plenty of questionable moves in the last 17 years" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 1/4). In Ohio, Jeff Schudel writes he is "still trying to make sense" of Brown's promotion. Schudel: "Haslam is setting up an odd chain of command. ... Haslam's plan has a lot of moving parts. It will require at least one experienced hire to make it work" (Willoughby NEWS-HERALD, 1/5).
