Through eight games, it's easy to see the Browns' offense is among the worst in the NFL. They rank 31st in total yards and 31st in EPA/play, only beating out the Tennessee Titans in both categories. While the lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball is undeniable, some have questioned head coach Kevin Stefanski's ability to adapt because of his reputation as an offensive coach.
Last season, Stefanski gave up playcalling duties after seven games to then coordinator Ken Dorsey when Cleveland lost Deshaun Watson for the year and turned to Jameis Winston. Coming out of the bye week, Stefanski has again handed off playcalling duties to his offensive coordinator, as Tommy Rees will call the offensive plays starting with Week 10 against the Jets.
Kevin Stefanski hands offensive playcalling duties to OC Tommy Rees
This time, the playcaller change won't also come with a quarterback change, as Stefanski announced Dillon Gabriel will remain the starter for now. Gabriel hasn't done much to keep the job yet, but Shedeur Sanders is still dealing with a back injury. Even if Sanders were healthy, it would be surprising to see them give Sanders nine games after just four Gabriel starts.
Browns guard Wyatt Teller expressed the utmost faith in Stefanski's ability, but understands why they would want to make a change after the rough performances this year. Considering the Browns aren't likely to add anyone to the roster to change the outlook of the unit in 2025, making a playcalling change makes sense to try and give them a jolt with some aggressiveness.
It's hard to read into what this could mean for Stefanski's job security. On one hand, you wouldn't think someone who takes pride in their offensive playcalling would give that up if their job was on the line. Plus, the offense looking better under Rees would likely lead to more questions about how Stefanski has evolved over recent years. On the other hand, handing off playcalling duties for the second consecutive year isn't normal and could be a desperation play.
All in all, the offensive scheme isn't going to have some massive discrepancy (probably), considering the collaborative efforts that take place from the entire offensive staff throughout the week. If anything, Rees could be more inspired to take risks and chase explosives rather than playing it ultra-safe to avoid disaster for the defense.