3 Browns on Thin Ice With Tommy Rees as Offensive Coordinator

The Cleveland Browns are entering a crucial offseason. After the most disappointing season in recent history, the Browns need to take a significant step forward in 2025. In order to fix their dysfunctional offense, the Browns replaced offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey with Tommy Rees.

Yet, the Browns have deeper issues regarding their offense. They need to nail their free agency and draft decisions to get this offensive unit from dead last in scoring to a respectable place. This is a big challenge for a first-time coordinator like Rees. His hire puts some Browns on thin ice for next season and beyond. Let's take a look.

Deshaun Watson

This one is obviously a no-brainer. Deshaun Watson was going to be on thin ice regardless of who the Browns offensive coordinator was.

After tearing his Achilles in Week 7 and ending his season prematurely, Watson underwent another surgery in January after he suffered a re-rupture of his Achilles tendon. This likely means that he will miss most, if not the entirety of the 2025 season. It also potentially means that he may not appear in another game wearing a Browns uniform again.

That doesn't entirely solve Cleveland's Deshaun Watson problem. Watson is under contract for two more seasons. The Browns can either cut him and absorb the rest of his salary as a dead cap or keep him around for longer until he returns from his injury. As long as he is with the team, he will continue to be the center of attention regardless of his availability.

For the Browns to start a new chapter, they have to get out of the Deshaun Watson business. If that means taking a massive financial hit, so be it.