Browns, Josh Dobbs Trade Could Be One Of Andrew Berry's Biggest Blunders
Through his first three years as the general manager and vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns, Andrew Berry has largely been considered a savvy, resourceful negotiator.
Some of his most notable work includes just last summer, when he landed four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, Amari Cooper and a 2022 sixth-round pick with the flick of his wrist and two late round 2022 picks.
Just this pat offseason, Berry worked his magic on multiple occasions, swinging a trade for disgruntled Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore and the 74th overall pick in April's NFL Draft, for their 42nd overall pick. A few months later he landed a veteran pass rusher to lineup opposite of Myles Garrett, in Zadarius Smith along with a future sixth and seventh round draft pick, for two future fifths.
Those moves standout, but Berry has also never been shy about improving the roster via trade, whether it be the Deshaun Watson trade in March of 2022, or when injuries have plagued the team mid-season.
The Harvard grad has always brought a unique aggressiveness and levelheadedness to the table in his efforts to build the Browns roster. He rarely ever gets "fleeced," as the the kids would say, and to this point, he's managed the cap brilliantly to boot.
But as the team heads into Week Six with a troubling injury situation surrounding Watson that may leave him sidelined for a second consecutive game, it's brought into the limelight the rare fumbled move by Berry.
Just two days before the Browns preseason finale, back on August 24, Berry struck a deal with the Arizona Cardinals sending backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs and a 2024 seventh round pick to the desert, in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.
Aug 3, 2023; Canton, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) warms up before the game between the Browns and the New York Jets at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
On the surface, the move seemed to make sense for the two clubs. Arizona will be without star quarterback Kyler Murray for an undisclosed amount of time as he works his way back from a torn ACL, and needed a starting QB. The Browns, meanwhile, invested a lot of resources in Watson and were in the middle of watching rookie, fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson Robinson light it up in the preseason.
Fast forward six weeks into the season, and suddenly the decision to trade Dobbs feels more regrettable than it appeared.
In his first NFL start, filling in for the injured Watson against the Baltimore Ravens in Week Four, Thompson-Robinson completed just 19 of his 36 passes for 151 yards and threw three interceptions in a 28-3 blowout loss. What do you know, a rookie QB wasn't quite ready to be a starting QB. It's not exactly rocket science.
Meanwhile, through five games starting for the Cardinals, Dobbs has posted a completion percentage over 65-percent, throne for nearly 1,000 yards, to go along with six touchdowns and just two interceptions, adding another score on the ground. While the Browns sat idle on Sunday, and the Cardinals part of the late afternoon slate, it was pretty easy to recognize Dobbs would be giving the Browns a better chance to win games for however long Watson may not be able to play.
It's certainly admirable that Berry saw the opportunity to flip a depth player for draft capital and took advantage. Last week, Berry even stood by his decision.
"I've often talked about the general manager's role having a foot in the present and a foot in the future and certainly that transaction has elements of that, Berry explained. "Thought it was the best decision. We're really excited to work with Dorian and see hm progress and develop, but thought it was the best move for the organization both short and long-term."
Whether he admits it publicly or not, Berry overthought this one. It's perfectly normal for the fan base can get caught up in the DTR, preseason hype. The general manager should know better.
Mar 25, 2022; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry talks with the media during a press conference to introduce new quarterback Deshaun Watson at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
What also can't be ignored, is that just hours before the Dobbs trade head coach Kevin Stefanski publicly named him the team's top backup.
“I think, obviously, we’re excited about that entire room,” Stefanski said. "You look at your depth chart and you just want guys to continue to grow and get better because as you all know, there’s times that guys are unavailable due to injury or otherwise So, it is a constant striving to get better.”
Now the Browns find themselves in the exact scenario Stefanski eluded to, only without the resources to mange it. And as the mysterious unknowns surrounding Watson's timetable trickle deep into another week, suddenly it feels as though the Browns 2023 season is weighing in the balance.
