Kevin Stefanski mum on Browns seeking another quarterback

After their final preseason game, Kevin Stefanski didn’t get into whether or not Josh Dobbs did enough to secure the Cleveland Browns backup quarterback spot

The preseason is in the books and that means the Cleveland Browns are now figuring out what they need to do in order to trim their roster from 80 players down to 53. Of course, teams aren’t just looking at their own rosters at this time of year. They’re also paying attention to what’s going on around the league, just in case a player they feel can help them is on the roster bubble elsewhere.

In Cleveland, that talk has continued to center around the quarterback spot. While the coaching staff insists Jacoby Brissett is the starter during Deshaun Watson’s suspension, there were reports they could consider another veteran to back him up. That subject was brought up once again as Kevin Stefanski was speaking to reporters after their game against the Chicago Bears.

As is often the case with Stefanski, he gave an answer but refused to peel back the curtain much at all.

"“Honestly, I would not get into those type of roster things. I would just tell you Josh Dobbs has done a great job. He has done everything we have asked him to do, and I think his teammates recognize how hard he works.” — Stefanski via Irie Harris, Cleveland.com"

Will the Browns pursue another quarterback?

Cleveland did bring in Josh Rosen this offseason but the former No. 10 overall pick was clearly behind Dobbs, who did play well in the preseason. Despite his performance, Dobbs has just 17 career passes in the regular season and that’s why there are questions about whether or not they want to bring in more help.

Another reason the subject won’t die is the fact that Brissett has been a journeyman at best in his career. He’s been a starter in the past but has a losing record for his career. He’s seen as a solid No. 2 but not a starter, so it might not be a terrible idea to bring in someone who could step up should he struggle.

The one name that keeps surfacing is Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers. Garoppolo is on the way out with Trey Lance taking over and would be an upgrade over Brissett. Of course, he would need time to learn the system, but it would make sense to target him if the Niners fail to find a trade partner and release him outright.

Outside of that, there’s not much of a chance the front office tries to make a splash move. The good thing is, Dobbs proved he has the confidence should he be pressed into action. But it’s hard not to think they would be in better shape with Garoppolo under center during the majority of Watson’s 11-game ban.