Columnist explains what Browns hiring Mike Vrabel means for HC Kevin Stefanski

Some fans continue to wonder what the Cleveland Browns hiring former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as a consultant could mean for current Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski. 

Columnist Jimmy Watkins of the Cleveland Plain Dealer went a different route for a piece published on Friday. 

"I think the Vrabel hire is a sign of Stefanski’s security in Cleveland, not his vulnerability," Watkins explained. "When the Browns pitched the new hire to their coach, or vice versa, Stefanski cared more about winning than optics or order of ops. He’ll sign the extension whenever, but Vrabel can help him win now. Why not add one of the league’s best coaches to your stable of football minds?"

It's understandable people still have plenty to say about the Stefanski-Vrabel matter a week after the news broke. 

Stefanski recently became a two-time Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year but replaced offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt with Ken Dorsey following an embarrassing 45-14 wild-card playoff loss at the Houston Texans. 

Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year, is already a hot candidate for the next hiring cycle and is being linked with clubs such as the New York Jets. 

Multiple Browns insiders have indicated that Cleveland giving Vrabel a gig means nothing regarding Stefanski's status unless the 2024 Browns are somewhere between a disappointment and a complete disaster. 

Watkins insisted Vrabel will not "sow dissent within the existing leadership," in part because the organization isn't the laughingstock it was as recently as September 2018. 

"Yes, Vrabel’s name carries more weight than his new job description," Watkins added. "And yes, Stefanski is still waiting to sign a new contract. But the weight fans are assigning to Stefanski’s wait only makes sense for the small-minded franchise Cleveland used to be." 

That's all well and good, but history shows things change quickly in the NFL. 

It wasn't all that long ago when even the idea of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft parting ways with coach Bill Belichick would have been downright laughable. 

Brian Daboll of the New York Giants is on the hot seat roughly 14 months after he earned Coach of the Year honors. 

In short, Stefanski's job security could be interesting to follow if the Browns are at or below .500 around the halfway mark of the upcoming campaign.