Cleveland Browns: Analytics are back, and it’s a good idea this time

With Paul DePodesta gaining a louder voice in Berea, analytics are back for the Cleveland Browns and things will be better this time

It’s undeniable.

Paul DePodesta, the Cleveland Browns chief strategy officer,  was responsible for one of the most miserable stretches in the history of professional sport.

It’s January 2016. The Cleveland Browns hired Sashi Brown to handle their football operations. Brown, alongside DePodesta and Andrew Berry Berry, two Harvard alumni, preached analytics and arithmetic in making calculated decisions for the organization.

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The Browns appeared to be, for once, ahead of the curve, right? They had literal geniuses at the helm. Then the massive tank happened. 1-15. 0-16.

After 1-31, the Browns cleaned house. The Haslam family quietly but completely moved on from the analytical approach, hiring John Dorsey as general manager, promising to keep their hands out of football operations.

Dorsey was brought into Berea as a traditionalist and a self-proclaimed “football guy.” He would poke fun at the old regime, stating that the Browns needed to bring in “real football players” if they wanted to compete for championships.

He traded for Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry and Damarious Randall all in the same day. As we all know, he drafted Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb. He pulled off a trade for Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon that was thought to be a fleecing.

The football guys were doing their jobs, and doing it well. They were bringing in real football players to Cleveland.

But with Dorsey’s macho ego and mistakes along the way resulting in his demise with the Browns, it appears as if analytics are back in Berea, for the better this time.

Dorsey’s biggest flaw as general manager was hiring Freddie Kitchens as head coach. The team still employed DePodesta, who was pounding the table for the team to hire Kevin Stefanski, but Dorsey went with Kitchens instead.

Prior to this, DePodesta wanted to hire Sean McDermott as head coach. Ownership ignored him, and hired Hue Jackson instead.

Fans will argue ad nauseam about the use of “analytics,” the buzzword that scarred so many during Cleveland’s tanking years. But this time, there’s no need to tank. Thanks to a few good drafts, free agencies, and trades, the Browns have a solid foundation of players built. Hell, some even predicted this team to make a Super Bowl run.

The analytical approach of DePodesta is going to be used to make a calculated hire to coach all of Dorsey’s talent moving forward. Let’s be honest, the issue with Kitchens was the fact that he was the opposite of analytics. Would any analytical person run the ball on 4th and 9? What about going for a two-point conversion instead of kicking while trying to make a comeback? No.

Also, Dorsey made more than a handful of roster mistakes and seemed to act with his heart instead of his head. For example, releasing Orson Charles and Darren Fells and refusing to sign a fullback to block for two of the league’s best running backs. Also, releasing Chris Smith to let two undrafted free agents play.

The Browns were an undeniable, underperforming disaster this season with weekly sideshows and distractions that couldn’t be overcome. It was time to move on and start fresh, not start over. The “football guys” built a foundation that will be expanded on and developed with the right head coach.

DePodesta, if ownership listens to him, will do an acceptable job, finally finding the right candidate to make smart decisions on the field and in evaluating further talent to bring in and manage.

The Haslam family reportedly loves the Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. He will interview with the Browns. The team will also attempt to interview Minnesota’s offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who is very analytically-driven, a front-runner for last year’s vacancy, and a very serious candidate.

Blending football and analytics could be a good thing. Dorsey did his job. There’s absolutely no reason to hit the panic button this time around.