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CLEVELAND — Paul DePodesta, the Cleveland Browns’ Chief Strategy Officer since 2016, is headed back to baseball with the Browns at 2-6 and searching for answers. DePodesta is taking over as head of baseball operations for the Colorado Rockies, marking a return to the sport where he spent 20 years before making the unconventional detour into football, a league source confirmed for cleveland.com. But it’s not the tip of the iceberg for the front office, a source said. The Browns are 5-20 since last season. The movie “Moneyball” was based on DePodesta’s extensive use of analytics with the Oakland Athletics. A Harvard graduate and former wide receiver, DePodesta’s innovative work under Athletics general manager Billy Beane challenged traditional scouting methods and emphasized efficiency, value, and measurable performance — ideas that would later carry over to his tenure in the NFL. More Cleveland Browns coverage How Tommy Rees calling plays impacts the Browns: Thursday’s Sports 4 CLE Kevin Stefanski will give offensive coordinator Tommy Rees ‘final say’ over play calling - to a point How QB chaos has crippled Browns’ entire offense After front-office stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets, DePodesta made the unconventional move to football when the Browns hired him in January 2016. His arrival coincided with owner Jimmy Haslam’s effort to modernize the organization and establish a more disciplined, data-driven culture. Though DePodesta’s role is often described as broad and strategic rather than day-to-day, his fingerprints have been evident in key decisions — from the hiring of general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski to the team’s emphasis on analytics-based roster construction and fourth-down aggressiveness. Residing primarily in Southern California, DePodesta’s low-profile style contrasts with his substantial influence. While critics have occasionally questioned the application of baseball analytics to football, his measured, long-view approach has helped bring stability and credibility to a franchise long defined by turnover. Nearly a decade into his Browns tenure, DePodesta remains one of the most intellectually influential figures in the NFL front-office landscape.
