Browns GM has mission: Find QB
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam didn’t mince words or waste time. He introduced John Dorsey as the general manager Friday, then removed any doubt about what must be done.
“The Cleveland Browns are not going to be successful until we get a quarterback,” Haslam said. “We’re going to look at free agency, we’re going to look at the draft, we’re going to do whatever it takes to find a quarterback. That will be John’s No. 1 priority.
“He would tell you if you asked him, ‘What did Jimmy ask you more than anything?’ over the last several weeks. It was about quarterbacks.”
The Tennessee businessman restarted the quarterback carousel one day after firing top football executive Sashi Brown and replacing him with former Chiefs general manager Dorsey. The Browns are 0-12 this season and 1-27 in two years under coach Hue Jackson, who will return in 2018.
Cleveland has a 4-45 record since Nov. 30, 2014 — the worst 49game stretch in NFL history — and a different quarterback has led it in yards passing in seven straight seasons.
Rookie DeShone Kizer will remain under center Sunday when the Browns host Green Bay. He is the franchise’s 28th starting quarterback since 1999, but Haslam made it clear he is already planning for No. 29.
Dorsey, who helped Kansas City earn three playoff berths in four seasons, exercised much more caution on the subject.
“To be fair, you do not want to be the guy that comes in and blows things up automatically,” said Dorsey, who was unexpectedly fired by the Chiefs in June. “Let’s give everybody a 5½month window to show what they can do. In my past job, I used that same formula and it worked out well.”
Dorsey, Jackson and chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta make up Cleveland’s restructured upper management team and will report to Haslam. Briefly: Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters was fined $24,309 by the NFL for throwing a penalty flag into the stands against the Jets on Sunday. Peters had already been suspended one game by Kansas City coach Andy Reid for his antics . ... Falcons running back Tevin Coleman was placed in the concussion protocol after getting hurt in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s win over New Orleans. ... For the second week in a row, the Cardinals will be without running back Adrian Peterson due to a neck injury. Arizona’s opponent Sunday, Tennessee, will be without outside linebacker Derrick Morgan.. ... Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is questionable for Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay because of his injured throwing hand. He has not missed a start since the 2010 season.