The Opening Drive 12/31: What the Browns’ Conversations With Chris Grier and Tom Telesco Hopefully Signal; Plus Fowler's Report on HC
We examine what a series of reports could and hopefully mean for the Browns future.
Josina Anderson’s report that the Browns have spoken with Chris Grier and Tom Telesco is hopefully a window into how the organization is reassessing itself at the highest level and what kind of football operation it wants to be moving forward. Both Grier and Telesco represent a particular archetype: long-tenured, roster-building general managers who have survived coaching changes, quarterback misses, ownership pressure, and public scrutiny. That matters because the Browns are entering a moment where stability and clarity of vision matters more than ever before.
This is not 2016 anymore. The Browns are not searching for a teardown artist. They are searching for someone who can manage consequences.
Chris Grier’s resume in Miami is complicated, but informative. He navigated multiple roster resets without ever fully bottoming out, identified and built around a franchise quarterback, and constructed one of the fastest, most scheme-specific offenses in the league. Miami’s roster construction has been intentional—speed, spacing, and defensive versatility. An addition to the front office who builds toward an identity rather than constantly chasing value would be welcome.
Tom Telesco, meanwhile, is synonymous with elite talent acquisition at premium positions. His Chargers tenure produced a steady stream of blue-chip players—quarterbacks, edge rushers, receivers—often despite uneven on-field results. Telesco’s flaw has never been evaluation. It has been execution around the margins and alignment with the coaching staff that he has missed the mark on. That makes him a fascinating data point for a Browns organization that already has star talent but has struggled with cohesion and optimization.
What connects Grier and Telesco is not their perfection; it’s their experience, which makes this report revealing. Browns are no longer operating in hypotheticals. The Deshaun Watson contract is real. The cap constraints are real. The roster age curve is real. There are no clean slates left. The Browns football must figure out how to win without ideal conditions—and how to reset quietly without detonating the building. Talking to Grier and Telesco suggests the Browns are prioritizing adults in the room over first-time visionaries. That is a meaningful shift.
It also hints at a broader philosophical recalibration. For years, the Browns have leaned heavily on process, models, and internal conviction, often at the expense of external perspective. Reaching out to veteran executives who have navigated multiple organizational cycles suggests an openness to learning from the mistakes rather than blindly remaining stuck in their ways.
This does not mean Andrew Berry is on his way out. In fact, I tend to believe Berry is still running things, but adding to the front office with high-level experience makes sense as they undergo a reset. Ultimately, this could also be an instance of a team doing routine background work, but it does mean the Browns are at least asking hard questions about what they value in leadership moving forward.
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Fowler Reports Browns Have Done “preliminary research” Into Potential Coaching Change
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cleveland Browns have begun what can best be described as a quiet, exploratory evaluation of their head coaching situation as the season winds down.
Fowler reported that the Browns have done “preliminary research” into what a potential head coaching change could look like this offseason. That phrasing is important. This is not an indication that Kevin Stefanski has been fired or that a decision has been finalized. Instead, it signals that Cleveland’s ownership and front office are doing due diligence — surveying the landscape, gauging potential options, and preparing contingency plans if they decide a change is necessary.
No formal steps toward a firing have been taken, and Stefanski has not been informed of any imminent move. Still, the fact that this process is happening at all reflects the gravity of the Browns’ current position.
Fowler pointed out that the Browns are not the only team taking this approach. He mentioned that Cleveland is alongside the Las Vegas Raiders, as both teams are quietly conducting similar background work. This highlights a common practice in the league: responsible organizations prepare for all possible outcomes, even the uncomfortable ones. Fowler categorized the jobs in Cleveland and Las Vegas as having a 50/50 chance of becoming open positions this offseason.
Browns Film Breakdown will return soon with some fresh All-22 content.
