There are lots of ways to build a successful team. Unfortunately for fans, the Cleveland Browns have tried almost every way to do it, but have not found a successful process yet. GM Andrew Berry has survived going into his seventh season, while HC Kevin Stefanski was relieved of his duties and replaced by HC Todd Monken.
This offseason also saw former Browns front office member Kwesi Adofo-Mensah get fired by the Minnesota Vikings, with reports that former Cleveland consultant Ryan Grigson could be the favorite to take over the job.
Berry has a history of bringing in former GMs, with a history of failures as consultants for the front office. As Mac Robinson of 92.3 The Fan noted, that history has included:
- Bob Quinn
- Tom Telesco
- Ryan Grigson
New England Patriots HC Mike Vrabel also consulted both the front office and coaching staff two seasons ago.
This year, Telesco was around for the NFL draft process, and now comes a report that Trent Baalke will be taking on a consultant role:
Baalke was in charge of the San Francisco 49ers from 2010 to 2016, which included a trip to the Super Bowl. Then, Baalke took over the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 and was relieved of duties during the 2025 offseason with one playoff appearance.
While Baalke had some issues running teams, as a consultant to Berry, his responsibilities and power are significantly different.