Browns will consider five major decisions this offseason

The disappointment of Saturday’s playoff loss to the Houston Texans will not go away soon, but the Cleveland Browns have already turned the page and made some significant decisions to begin the 2024 offseason.

The first occurred on Wednesday, when head coach Kevin Stefanski fired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and two of his offensive assistants: running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.

That hints that there will be more significant changes on offense in 2024, but the Browns have a lot more decisions to make before that blueprint is complete. Here’s a breakdown of a handful of them.

1. HIRE A NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: This is the obvious one, given this week’s news. Stefanski’s decision to part ways with Van Pelt likely means that the Browns will have to retool most of their offense, which is likely necessary in order for Watson to meet expectations that have only been raised for 2024 after the Browns showed promise of becoming AFC contenders in 2023.

The Browns are entering their third year with Watson, and there are still concerns about his ability to play consistently over the course of a complete season. That isn’t ideal, but selecting an offensive coordinator who can assist him will be a critical first step in avoiding the inconsistencies that have plagued him in his first 12 games in Cleveland.

2. DECIDE ON OFFENSIVE PLAY CALLER: The next immediate question that will arise after Stefanski appoints his offensive coordinator is who will call the plays. According to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, Stefanski may be prepared to relinquish play-calling duties depending on who becomes the next offensive coordinator.

Stefanski has been the play-caller since taking over as head coach in 2020, so delegating those responsibilities to another coach would be a huge move, but it could help Cleveland attract elite offensive coordinator candidates looking for a play-calling role. In an NFL landscape where young offensive minds are thriving and in high demand, Stefanski may find it an intriguing — and important — alternative to give.

3. FIND RECEIVER HELP: Whether through free agency or the draft, the Browns must find another pass catcher who can regularly contribute as a top receiver. Amari Cooper is the lone wideout who has done so the previous two seasons, and while he may still be a highly productive receiver in the future, he will turn 30 this summer, so adding young talent should be near the top of the roster objectives.

Tight end David Njoku’s breakout year in 2023 surely helped the pass game, but no other receiver caused problems for opposing defenses. That needs to alter if the Browns want to give Watson the best chance of success in 2024.

4. NICK CHUBB’S CONTRACT: Chubb has one year left on his current contract, which would count for around $15.8 million against the salary limit in 2024, according to Spotrac. At some point — whether this summer or next — general manager Andrew Berry will have to decide how Chubb, who will be returning from a serious knee injury sustained in the second game of the season that required two surgeries to correct, will fit into future plans.

Chubb is a four-time Pro Bowler who has averaged more than five yards per carry in each of his six seasons in Cleveland, but it’s difficult to predict how the Browns will assess Chubb’s value moving forward in an era where aging, high-mileage running backs are frequently viewed as replaceable by NFL front offices.

5. JACK CONKLIN’S CONTRACT: Conklin, who signed a four-year contract extension at the end of 2022, has three years left on his deal, which might obstruct the Browns’ financial plans over the next three years — he’ll count $12 million against the cap in 2024 and $19.5 million in both 2025 and 2026, according to Spotrac. Conklin will be 30 next season and is coming off a season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 1, his second in the last three years.

Dawand Jones, a fourth-round rookie, was very promising when he took over for Conklin at right tackle until he sustained his own season-ending knee injury in a workout before Week 15. The Browns do not need to make any choices on Conklin’s future right now if they believe he can return as a competent tackle, but his age and previous injury history, combined with Jones’ success, could make it difficult to determine how to best approach the situation.