Saturday Dawg Chow: Browns news (3/30/24)

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

Dawgs By Nature:

• Browns offseason workout dates announced (Jared Mueller) – The 2024 NFL season started with NFL free agency but on the field starts with offseason activities (OTAs). Strictly voluntary, no matter how much some fans and media expect mandatory participation, the Cleveland Browns will begin the first phase on April 15.
• Breakdown of Jerry Jeudy’s contract extension (Chris Pokorny) – The Cleveland Browns new wide receiver first received a restructured contract, then got an extension, within a week.
• Browns NFL Draft Profile: LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (Matt Wilson) – Clemson linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has the athleticism, production, and football IQ to land on the radar of the Cleveland Browns in the 2024 NFL Draft.
• Browns NFL Draft Profile: OG Dominick Puni (Thomas Moore) – The Cleveland Browns can always use depth on the offensive line, and a “strapping, powerfully built prospect” with “girth” like Dominick Puni might draw their interest.
• Browns NFL Draft Insight: CB Andru Phillips (Barry Shuck) – Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips’ physical profile makes him an interesting player for a team that likes to play heavy-press coverage.
• Browns top 3 NFL draft needs identified (Jared Mueller) – Pro Football Focus identified every team’s draft needs and Cleveland’s fit the fact that the team has few needs for 2024.

Cleveland Browns:

• Browns have GM-coach combo that was 25 years in the making (ESPN) – Twenty-five years ago, upon a return to the NFL, the Cleveland Browns hired Dwight Clark as general manager and Chris Palmer as head coach. Within two years, the Browns had a new regime. And ever since, the franchise has been searching for the right pairing to lead the way. Finally, after cycling through a dozen head coaches over the years, and almost as many general managers, the Browns have found the duo they’ve longed for in Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry.
• Jimmy, Dee Haslam and their quest for new Browns stadium (Beacon Journal) – The reality of the conversation at the NFL annual meeting with Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam is that there’s really only one overarching takeaway: The stadium issue. It dominated much of the conversation, even leaving Jimmy Haslam to say at one point, “You don’t want to talk about football now?”
• Dee and Jimmy Haslam’s domed Browns stadium would spoil Cleveland’s football spirit (cleveland.com) – The Cleveland Browns franchise, like its fan base, prides itself on thriving in any element. It runs the ball and plays defense when the weather threatens forward passes. And pivoting from that identity means pivoting from a core Cleveland sensibility.
• Next few months key to Nick Chubb’s return from knee injury (Browns Zone) – Nick Chubb is getting closer to a significant milestone in his rehab. Only then will the Browns have a reasonable idea when he might be able to return to the field.

NFL:

• Where will J.J. McCarthy go in the NFL Draft? (The Ringer) – Michigan’s championship-winning quarterback is catching the eyes of more NFL teams as the draft approaches.
• How Steelers transformed their quarterback room in 13 days (ESPN) – Omar Khan sat on a sectional couch in the glow of a sunny late March afternoon and answered reporters’ questions. The Pittsburgh Steelers general manager appeared relaxed. Four weeks earlier in Indianapolis, standing before the same group of reporters, Khan had seemed tense, reserved.
• The Saints have added a new kicker to their roster — all the way from Ireland (nola.com) – Some international talent is on the way to join the New Orleans Saints special teams units. The Saints are signing Irish kicker Charlie Smyth through the International Player Pathway (IPP), adding him to a group that also includes second-year kicker Blake Grupe.