Ken Dorsey was one of the major scapegoats for the Cleveland Browns' abysmal 3-14 season in 2024. With a horrendous pass offense and bottom rung rush attack, there was only one person to cut ties with ahead of 2025 to try and right a ship that's gone completely off course - Dorsey.
However, Dorsey wasn't the reason why Deshaun Watson was the worst quarterback in the NFL prior to his Achilles tear, nor was he the reason why the offensive line couldn't provide good enough run blocking for Nick Chubb or Jerome Ford throughout the season. But, when you lose throughout a season as badly as the Browns did in 2024, sacrifices tend to be made. Dorsey was one.
After his stint with Cleveland and previously with the Buffalo Bills, Dorsey is now headed to another franchise in dire need of a turnaround - the Dallas Cowboys. But, he won't be in the role you'd think he'd be in for their new regime.
Dorsey heads to Cowboys, but not as OC
Dorsey is reportedly in the process of being hired by the Cowboys, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. However, the details are fairly vague as of Monday, especially since Dallas already hired an offensive coordinator recently - Klayton Adams. Adams, the prior offensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals, actually beat Dorsey out for the OC role.
Dorsey, then, might be joining as some sort of consultant or assistant to Adams ahead of the Cowboys' 2025 season. With so much in flux for them and their offense - with many of the same issues plaguing the Browns plaguing them, like the need for competent quarterback play and a better run game - it makes sense to add as much available coaching talent as possible to the squad.
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However, this hire still feels a bit too on the nose as it pertains to making jokes about Dallas' incompetence as of late. Dorsey proved he couldn't make something out of Josh Allen, the now-NFL MVP, and he proved he couldn't somehow cure what ailed Watson's woes at signal caller during the the 2024 season.
Dallas might feel like they can cherry pick knowledge from Dorsey by not naming him OC but with brining him on to the staff in some capacity, avoiding his direct influence on the offense. Or, they possibly feel the need to add an experienced OC behind Adams, who has never been an OC in his career in the NFL. He was, however, an OC in his college coaching career.
Either way, the hire just doesn't feel right for Dallas. When you need change and dynamic play calling added to your staff, Dorsey doesn't seem like the fit. And yet, he's landing another chance in the NFL to make a name for his style and play calling despite his past two seeming failures. In his defense, the Browns' season hasn't even begun and it feels destined for failure, as well.