One thing is certain about Ken Dorsey as the new Browns offensive coordinator: his fingerprints are all over the new offense, and Kevin Stefanski is letting him coach.
Dorsey is implementing the dropback concepts learned in part from his former Bills boss Brian Daboll, and the Browns’ offense will have shades of what Daboll ran in New England, and what Daboll and Dorsey ran in Buffalo.
It will feature plenty of RPO and spread concepts, and corresponding three- and four-receiver sets. It will also feature the “choice routes” run by receivers such as Cole Beasley in Buffalo and Julian Edelman in New England.
One reason Stefanski is letting Dorsey essentially run the show is because it’s very similar to the offense that Deshaun Watson ran in Houston under Bill O’Brien, who learned it in New England. It’s a version of the Erhardt-Perkins system, and Watson is very familiar with most of the concepts. It’s one of the reasons Watson and Dorsey have hit it off so well — because they’re speaking the same football language.
Stefanski was hands-on during the camp as usual, but is clearly letting Dorsey, who will also serve as de facto quarterbacks coach, assume more control of the offense.
Will he turn the play-calling duties over to Dorsey? It remains to be seen, but he’s more likely to do so than he was with Alex Van Pelt, now the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. With Van Pelt as coordinator here from 2020-23, the Browns were still running Stefanski’s offense and it made sense for him to call the plays.
But with Dorsey more well-versed in some of the newer concepts, Stefanski might toss him the keys to the car. Again, it’s still early, but it’s something he’ll at least strongly consider.
Dorsey 1 on 1 with the lone QB
The lone quarterback in camp, tryout player Jacob Sirmon from Northern Colorado, got plenty of one-on-one coaching from Dorsey during rookie minicamp. A former Browns quarterback, Dorsey even joined Sirmon in the bulls-eye drill, where they fired the football into pockets in a net.
Sirmon (6-foot-4, 235 pounds) threw the ball to the five receivers in camp, including fifth-round pick Jamari Thrash, who looked polished in his route-running and caught the ball well.
Browns 2023 fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson, recovering from his hip injury, had hoped to throw during the camp, but he’s not ready for such strenuous duty just yet, Thompson-Robinson hopes to throw some in OTAs and full-squad minicamp, and aims to be full-go for training camp in late July.
With no developmental quarterback drafted or signed as a free agent, the Browns invited Sirmon in for the tryout, and he threw the ball well.
Will the Browns need a fifth QB in camp with Watson and Thompson-Robinson on the mend?
“We’ll see,” Stefanski said Friday. “If we have a fifth quarterback that we deem worthy, then yes.”
Myles Harden meets a Pro Bowl corner
Harden, the Browns’ seventh-round pick out of South Dakota, got a chance to meet three-time Pro Bowler Denzel Ward on Friday.
“It was good,” Harden (5-11, 195) said. “Coach had brought him in the locker room to see me. It was good to see him and just talk to him and hopefully I’m going to be under his wing soon.”
Harden has experience playing in the nickel, which he might be asked to do here.
“I did it in college,” he said. “The past two years I started moving inside and playing inside, so I’m open to it.”
Harden will also be called upon to cover kickoff returns under the new rules, which the Browns are trying to sort through. Anyone who establishes himself as a force in that regard will have a chance to make the team.
“Any role they put me in, I’m willing to do it, so I think I can contribute to it,” he said.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden working with the rookies
Mitchell-Paden (6-5, 257), signed last season as an undrafted rookie out of Florida Atlantic, participated in rookie minicamp and has a chance to make the roster this season as a third or fourth tight end. The Browns currently have David Njoku, Jordan Akins and Giovanni Ricci, who doubled as a fullback. They also signed tight end Treyton Welch (6-4, 240) as an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming.
The two young tight ends have a chance to replace Harrison Bryant, who signed with the Raiders in free agency. They also get plenty of individual attention from new tight ends coach Tommy Rees, the former Alabama offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
Guard Zak Zinter gave it his all
Zinter, the Browns’ No. 85 pick in the third round out of Michigan, participated fully in camp and didn’t take many reps off despite not practicing since breaking his tibia and fibula Nov. 25 against Ohio State.
Zinter moved well during the two days open to the media, showing excellent strength and power in individual drills and some team drills. It bodes well for him participating fully in training camp, where he’ll take reps and both guard spots and center.
What’s next
The rookies will wrap up camp Sunday in a session that’s closed to the media, and then begin participating in the voluntary offseason program, with organized team activities beginning May 21. They’ll also participate in the mandatory minicamp June 11-13.
