Cleveland Browns: Grading Kevin Stefanski hire as head coach

Kevin Stefanski will reportedly be the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns but, after the Freddie Kitchens debacle, did they get this hire right?

The Cleveland Browns have found their next head coach in Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski. After Minnesota’s loss in the Divisional Round on Saturday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday morning that the Browns will hire Stefanski to replace Freddie Kitchens and helm the team in the 2020 season.

Stefanski was the runner-up for the Cleveland head coaching job last offseason when Kitchens was ultimately hired. And though hindsight is always 20/20, it’s hard to think that the Vikings coordinator shouldn’t have gotten the job instead. After all, Kitchens was a disaster, posting a 6-10 record with arguably the most talented roster the Browns have seen since 1999.

As the Browns were one of five teams with head coaching vacancies this offseason, they were the last to make the hire, giving them the pick of their guys, who included Stefanski, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and several others.

On the heels of the Kitchens debacle, however, many are going to question the Stefanski hire and wonder if it’s the right move. So we’ll ask the same question by handing out a grade for the Browns decision to hire Stefanski over the other candidates for the job.

Point blank, Kevin Stefanski was the best option for the Cleveland Browns. Yes, it might look odd considering that his Vikings offense was just shut down by the 49ers defense led by another candidate (Saleh) but Stefanski is the perfect guy for the team in Cleveland.

One of the reasons that Kitchens got the gig last offseason was his success at the end of 2018 with Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb in the Cleveland offense. When given the full reins and more talent — including Odell Beckham Jr. — however, he couldn’t get it done. Stefanski, on the other hand, has proven his ability to think analytically, creatively and to be able to maximize talent.

For much of the 2019 season, we saw the Vikings offense humming as Dalvin Cook was one of the best runners in the NFL and as Kirk Cousins looked perhaps the best he has in his career. While there was obvious talent in Minnesota, the fact that Stefanski was able to tap into that despite limitations on the offensive line and, frankly, at quarterback speaks to his potential to unlock the Browns.

To be sure, how Stefanski fills out the rest of his coaching staff will be critical to the success of the Browns moving forward, specifically on defense. However, this head coach hire was first and foremost about tapping into the immense potential of Mayfield, Chubb, OBJ and the Cleveland offense. And by hiring Stefanski to do that, the Browns knocked this hire out of the park.