NFL insider details unsettling update about Kevin Stefanski's job security with Browns

Over the last six years, the Cleveland Browns have been very good about not having unintentional leaks leave their headquarters in Berea.

It’s a staple of Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry and Paul DePodesta’s alignment strategy – to remain tight-lipped about everything.

But there’s been a crack in that foundation according to Yahoo! Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson, who has been one of the few accurate national reporters in the Stefanski and Berry era.

While appearing on a Tennessee sports talk radio station, Robinson was asked about Stefanski’s job status after the Browns fell to 1-5. He explained that he has backed off of his stance that Stefanski is definitely safe.

“He wanted to make sure he had a veteran in his No. 2 position to support role and now that guy is playing for the Bengals,” Robinson said. “This feels like there’s a tiny bit of separation now between the head coach and general manager.”

The overarching suggestion was that Stefanski wanted to keep Flacco on the roster just in case rookie third round quarterback Dillon Gabriel was not ready to be the starter. It’s been well-publicized that the Browns view fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders as a work in progress.

Robinson notes that ever since Stefanski’s press conference where he admitted that he was surprised that Joe Flacco was traded to Cincinnati, the NFL world felt as if things within the Browns felt different.

“Someone said to me that Kevin is going to be just like Baker Mayfield,” Robinson said. “He’s going to leave the organization, he’s going to do great. Sometimes you just need to get away from the dysfunction to be what you can be.”

Stefanski has dealt with plenty of dysfunction since taking over the Browns who moved on from Freddie Kitchens after the 2019 season. Mayfield and Stefanski had some good moments, but the team ultimately felt like they could not compete with him in a crowded AFC. The Deshaun Watson trade backfired in dramatic fashion, leaving Stefanski with Flacco, Jacoby Brissett, P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Bailey Zappe and now two more rookies to work with.

Robinson maintains that Stefanski is a good coach, even though he has fallen out of favor with Browns fans who are tired by his “vanilla” offense.

“Stefanski is the one where he could become available and he could go elsewhere and do well,” Robinson said.

Robinson theorizes that Stefanski could potentially wind up with the Tennessee Titans, who fired Brian Callahan after a 4-19 start to his head coaching career. However, the NFL insider includes that Stefanski could be particular about his next team as he is also 4-19 over the last two seasons and does not want to wind up in another dysfunctional environment where pressure will mount quickly.

The Browns host the 1-5 Miami Dolphins on Sunday. If that game goes poorly, it’s anybody’s guess what the future will look like for Stefanski.