With the Browns now 0-10 after Thursday's loss to the Ravens, team Owner Jimmy Haslam has become "increasingly hands on, with many departments essentially reporting directly to his family," according to sources cited by Jason La Canfora of CBSSPORTS.com. Given Haslam's "propensity for wholesale changes ... trepidation is mounting that another shakeup awaits as the winless franchise must start preparing season-ticket invoices" for '17. Morale within the organization is "low, even by Browns standards, and with 10 or so departments reporting directly to ownership and without the presence of a strong team president providing leadership, the hands-on approach of the Haslams is causing concern throughout the organization" (CBSSPORTS.com, 11/13). Browns coach Hue Jackson on Friday said Exec VP/Football Operations Sashi Brown, Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta and VP/Player Personnel Andrew Berry "have not blinked" in the face of the franchise-worst 0-10 start. Jackson: "I have a good staff who stands behind me. I have an owner who has been unflinching" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 11/12).
HISTORY REPEATING? The Boston Globe's Ben Volin noted the '08 Lions are the only NFL team to go 0-16, but the Browns "are giving it a run." The Browns during the offseason "hired a bunch of Moneyball guys from the Mets, and then sat out free agency." Volin: "It's going pretty much as expected. They've used six quarterbacks, put 11 guys on injured reserve and the losses are getting worse. ... The good news? Four of their final six are at home, and they still have a bye." While Cleveland has "become the city of champions in 2016," the Browns "are the best at something, even if it's losing games” (“The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 11/13).
