Sunday Dawg Chow: Browns news (2/11/24)

More of the latest Browns news and notes from around the web in today’s dose of the Super Bowl Sunday Dawg Chow.

Dawgs By Nature:

• Browns contracts: Update on Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry (Jared Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns brought in HC Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry to work together as a collaborative unit in 2020. As the 2024 season is around the corner, both Stefanski and Berry are reportedly in line for contract extensions.
• David Njoku is more than just a dangerous receiving threat (Matt Wilson) – The Cleveland Browns undoubtedly have one of the league’s top tight ends in David Njoku, and it’s not only due to his dominance as a pass catcher. One of his more underrated on-field attributes has been his blocking ability and, more specifically, his pass-blocking prowess. It’s not a trait that’s typically talked about a lot when referring to tight ends but it’s a vital aspect of what they do based on the offensive scheme and gameplan.
• Browns fans want the WR or LT positions addressed the most this offseason (Chris Pokorny) – Amari Cooper is great, but not enough. In our SB Nation Reacts poll this week, Cleveland Browns fans made it clear that the top position they want the team to address this offseason is wide receiver.
• Micah Parsons speaks truth about Myles Garrett (Thomas Moore) – Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, who knows something about the game, continues to back Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett’s selection as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.
• Dawgs By Nature staff picks: Who we like in Chiefs-49ers to win Super Bowl 58 (Chris Pokorny) – The Kansas City’s Chiefs may have had a lackluster regular season by their standards, but they’re back in the big game, taking on a complete team in the San Francisco 49ers — which one will be victorious in Super Bowl 2024?
• NFL Draft: WR Roman Wilson’s stock likely to soar (Jared Mueller) – The Cleveland Browns may not get a chance at the speedster once testing, visits prior to the NFL draft are finished.
• PGA Tour pro wears Browns Nick Chubb jersey during tournament (Jared Mueller) – While quarterback Deshaun Watson, given the position, is the most important player to the Cleveland Browns, running back Nick Chubb is the heart of the team. Justin Lower, PGA Tour pro, showed his support for Chubb at this week’s Phoenix Open.

Cleveland Browns:

• How Browns guard Joel Bitonio first met his new offensive line coach and what he’ll miss about Bill Callahan (cleveland.com) – Cleveland Browns left guard Joel Bitonio will have at least his seventh new offensive line coach this season. The good news is he has some familiarity with Andy Dickerson.
• ‘My calling is coaching’: Former Browns player Jason Trusnik to lead Strongsville football (Beacon Journal) – Nordonia High School graduate Jason Trusnik has been coaching in some capacity ever since he retired from a 10-year NFL career. So the former Cleveland Browns player explained he believes it will be a natural progression for him to begin his next chapter as the head coach of the Strongsville High School football team.
• Ranking Browns’ top free agents: What does the future hold for Za’Darius Smith? (The Athletic $$$) – About five weeks ahead of the 2024 player movement period, most of the questions about the Cleveland Browns plans involve how the team will move salary-cap money it’s already committed. Barring a surprise trade or really surprising cut, the Browns will have almost their entire offense back for next season, and most of the starters on defense, too.
• New coaching staff could lead to new-look offense (Browns Zone) – The potential is there for the Browns offense to look profoundly different in 2024. The surprising changes made to the offensive coaching staff after the successful 2023 season, including at coordinator, allow for a reimagining of the system coach Kevin Stefanski installed in 2020. He’s tinkered throughout his tenure and sought to make significant adjustments after quarterback Deshaun Watson was acquired in a trade in March 2022, but the voices in the room remained largely the same. Not anymore.

NFL:

• Super Bowl guide: 49ers-Chiefs picks, key stats, predictions (ESPN) – Super Bowl LVIII kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the San Francisco 49ers facing the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs. This is a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, after the 2019 season, in which the Chiefs beat the 49ers 31-20.
• Three Kansas City Chiefs storylines to watch during Super Bowl LVIII vs. 49ers (The Kansas City Star) – Much is made of the San Francisco 49ers’ advantage in the running game for Super Bowl LVIII, and rightfully so. But don’t discount the Kansas City Chiefs’ running game, which has been a weapon and provided big moments in the Patrick Mahomes era of KC Super Bowls.
• Kyle Shanahan is no longer running the Shanahan offense (The Ringer) – Play-action passes. Pre-snap motion. Wide-zone runs. Think you know the core tenets of the offense that has defined the recent history of the NFL? The man who popularized it has evolved—here’s what he’s doing instead.
• Seahawks expected to hire former Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb as next OC (NFL.com) – Ryan Grubb didn’t leave the state of Washington for long. The Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire Grubb as their next offensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday night, per sources.