Sashi

Brown

Cleveland’s former Vice President of Football Operations, Brown shockingly left his post atop Monumental Sports and the Washington Wizards to return to the AFC North in place of Dick Cass, who is retiring after serving as the team’s President for the last 18 years. Although most fans will remember Brown as the overseer whose team sunk to a 1-31 record, it was Lord Sashi who tore down the team’s roster in order to stack high draft capital and put Paul DePodesta and GM Andrew Berry, both who were hired by Brown, in a position to navigate Cleveland into the 2021 postseason. With four picks in the first two days of the 2022 NFL Draft and Lamar Jackson’s long-term extension looming, Brown’s next moves will be his most important.

Brown was fired by the Browns back in December 2017 and replaced by John Dorsey. Brown still has his truthers after being the one who orchestrated the calculated tank to land the picks Dorsey eventually used to get Baker Mayfield (who was also believed to be Brown’s No. 1 QB) and Odell Beckham. In D.C., Brown joins a “revamped” Wizards front office that also hired former Georgetown coach John Thompson III in a development role. GM Tommy Sheppard had his interim tag removed.

Rapoport reports ownership is still committed to the “analytical-based approach,” but the would like “a little more scouting muscle” in the front office. Brown has no scouting background, but vice president of player personnel Andrew Berry came up through the scouting ranks with the Colts. Considering Berry traveled with Brown to watch UNC QB Mitch Trubisky on Friday, he would seem to already be filling the role Rapoport is describing. Still, it would not be a shock if the Browns added more “traditional” scouts to the mix this offseason.

Brown added the team will “listen to any opportunities that are out there,” but they are not pushing for a trade. It is a bit surprising considering how Cleveland stockpiled draft picks last year, but there also seems to be a consensus forming that Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett is clearly the best player in the draft. If the Browns agree, they will not want to give up the chance to land him.

Brown has no scouting background or known history of evaluating talent. He’ll replace GM Ray Farmer, who was fired on Sunday, and have final say over the 53-man roster. Brown is reportedly big into analytics. He was a lawyer before joining the Jaguars in 2005 and working there for eight seasons. Brown came to the Browns in 2013 to serve in a general counsel position. He and president Alec Scheiner are owner Jimmy Haslam’s new right-hand men. All three will be involved in hiring the Browns’ next coach.

A former lawyer with no scouting background, Brown will attempt to rebuild the Browns roster with the help of former baseball general manager Paul DePodesta. Brown did say the team will bring in a vice president of player personnel to assist with player evaluation, but Cleveland will not be hiring a general manager. Coach Hue Jackson is expected to have a big role in evaluation as well.

The Browns might never have been interested in taking a quarterback at No. 2, but with the Rams expected to take Jared Goff from under their nose, this is the most logical course of action. Darlington reports Browns EVP of football operations Sashi Brown is making calls to every team inside the top 10. If Carson Wentz slips to No. 2, the Eagles are expected to have serious interest.

The Browns wanting to get out of the No. 2 pick was the worst kept secret this week. After signing Robert Griffin III to pair with Josh McCown in the quarterback room and then seeing the Rams trade up to No. 1 overall to presumably select Cal QB Jared Goff, the Browns made the decision to stockpile picks and move back six spots in the first round where they can still net an impact player. The Browns and 49ers now have 12 picks each in next week’s draft.

“I don’t think we would have to move up from 32 to get any player that we’d be interested in taking,” Brown said. “I don’t anticipate or plan to move off 32 to go get a quarterback.” In full rebuild mode, it makes more sense for the Browns to trade down than up, and they will try their best to move back as much as possible this year. Cleveland is smartly focused on acquiring future assets as they start their reconstruction.

Despite the team having just one win in almost two seasons under Brown, this move comes somewhat out of left field and makes almost no sense. Hired in January of 2016, Brown was tasked with rebuilding the roster from the ground up, a task which the Browns should have known would take longer than 28 games. The good news is Sashi will leave Cleveland with five picks in the first two rounds including potentially two top-10 selections. With Brown out the door, the focus will turn to the job status of Hue Jackson, but this move seems like an indication the coach has won some sort of power struggle. All that is left to do now is wait for that A.J. McCarron blockbuster.