On the eve of what is potentially Stefanski’s last game with the Browns, another report came out that he would be moving on and could be traded, even if unlikely:
Cleveland fans have been through a lot of turnover, but this one feels different. There haven’t been reports or a sense that Haslam is angry, disappointed, frustrated, etc with the team’s head coach. Instead, it seems that everyone may agree that time has run its course for Stefanski with the Browns, the head coach may know he has at least one job possibility with the Giants, and ownership is open to a new voice.
Trading Stefanski is difficult for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is timing. Teams are required to follow the Rooney Rule in the head coaching searches, so a deal cannot be completed prior to that. Cleveland will not want to delay their process for minimal draft capital. Similarly, why would another team, say New York in this instance, trade anything for a coach that has seemingly checked out of his current team’s future and has a career 44-56 record (going into Week 18)?
The Browns are likely to move on from Stefanski after Sunday’s game. When it happens and how it happens will be interesting to watch, but a trade seems highly unlikely. A “mutual parting of ways” seems the likely direction, but will Stefanski, Berry, and Haslam have a press conference together to announce the change? What will be the wording of any kind of press release? How quickly will we have a resolution?
A lot of questions, but the one about Stefanski’s future seems answered.