Only a week into his new job as the Cleveland Browns’ general manager, John Dorsey is already making waves.
His first course of action since taking over for the recently fired Sashi Brown was to release free agent bust Kenny Britt, who has since signed with the Patriots.
Then on Thursday morning, Dorsey seemingly threw his own players under the bus by attacking the previous powers to be in Cleveland.
It now looks like embattled head coach Hue Jackson is Dorsey’s next target. In talking about previous suggestions that Jackson is guaranteed to come back for the 2018 season, Dorsey wouldn’t even go as far as to suggest it was likely. In fact, he avoided the topic altogether.
“I’ve always said I live in the present, and I build for the future. I live in the present. Right now the sun’s out, the tarps are coming off the field, we’re practicing outside, we’re getting ready to play the Baltimore Ravens, which is a divisional game,” Dorsey said in response to a question about whether Jackson would be back next season, via Cleveland.com. “That’s my sole focus. And then it’s also getting familiar with the whole layout and the organizational structure in terms of creating my daily routine.”
It makes sense that Dorsey would not want to fully commit to Jackson. Here’s a head coach that enters Week 15 with a 1-28 record since he took over in Cleveland last season. Dorsey was hired outside of the organization, so he has no real ties to Jackson. The head coach himself also seemingly wants more player personnel power. That likely won’t go over well with Dorsey
Then again, as NFL Media’s Mike Silver points out, Dorsey isn’t the individual that will be making the final decision on Jackson’s future with the organization.
Oh I will. For what it's worth: Jimmy Haslam (who has categorically said he's coming back, twice) has the power to fire Hue Jackson. John Dorsey does not. https://t.co/XGvEaJE1W2
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) December 14, 2017
That might not make Dorsey’s opinion mute on the topic. But it tells us a story of a power hierarchy in Cleveland that could become an issue once what has been a dreadful 2017 season comes to a conclusion.
Not only is Cleveland 0-13 on the year, it is without a franchise quarterback and lacks the necessary talent to compete in the NFL. Dorsey himself has obviously recognized this.
If owner Jimmy Haslam is making the decision on Jackson with Jackson wanting more control and Dorsey not being sold on Jackson as his head coach, the two-decade long issues we’ve seen in Cleveland won’t be going away any time soon.