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The Cleveland Browns are set to take on the 5-2 New England Patriots on the road in Week 8 with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel making his fourth career start. More News: Steelers Have ‘Legitimacy’ for a WR Trade ‘Deal’: Report Amid a 2-5 start, the job status of head coach Kevin Stefanski has come into question. Since the start of the 2024 season, the Browns have gone 5-19. Stefanski is 42-49 in his sixth season with Cleveland. The Browns were extremely aggressive in adding quarterbacks to the roster this offseason in the hopes of contending in the AFC North. Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco have both been traded since the preseason, and the struggling Browns are gauging what they have in Gabriel and fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders. BEREA, OHIO – MAY 22: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns talks with head coach Kevin Stefanski during an OTA offseason workout at their CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 22, 2024 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) More News: Aaron Rodgers Provides Retirement Plan Before Packers Game Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam appears to be giving Stefanski some grace this season because of the fallout from the Deshaun Watson trade in 2022. “Kevin’s done a really good job with us, and we’ve had some tough breaks,” Haslam said, “… A big trade we made didn’t work out, and you know, we’re all suffering from that. Kevin, I thought, really did a great job of rallying the troops last week at a really critical time. You find out about leaders when things are bad, not when they’re good, and he did a good job last week.” The Browns looked like a much different team in Week 7 when they blew out the lowly Miami Dolphins 31-6 at Huntington Bank Field. How long Haslam allows Stefanski to use the Watson excuse remains to be seen. There’s no arguing that the trade set back the team. Cleveland sent the Houston Texans three first-round picks in exchange for Watson before giving the quarterback a fully guaranteed $230 million contract. During the Annual League Meeting in March, Haslam made similar comments to reporters about the trade. “We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun,” Haslam said, via Cleveland.com. “We thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. (It) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee and I, so hold us accountable.” Watson is still with the Browns. He’s recovering from an Achilles tear he suffered in 2024 and is plotting to resurrect his career when he’s cleared to play. For more on the Browns and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
