Two Key Browns Extensions Reportedly 'Closer' to Being Official

After decades of losing campaigns, the Cleveland Browns have become one of the NFL's better teams in the last few years. The Browns' 55.2% winning percentage since the start of 2020 is tied for 10th-best in the league and last year's 11-win performance points to even brighter times in the near future.

While Cleveland has had help from great players to achieve that success, the franchise wouldn't be where it is without general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski. It isn't a coincidence that the Browns started consistently winning games once the dynamic duo joined the team four years ago.

Unsurprisingly, Berry and Stefanski's success has Browns fans wondering if the pair will be around for the long haul. The good news is that Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot's latest report has the answer that the fanbase is looking for.

Browns Rumors: Stefanski, Berry Nearing Contract Extensions

On Monday evening, Cabot revealed that the Browns are nearing extensions for their HC-GM tandem. The team insider said that the team is "getting closer to announcing extensions" for Stefanski and Berry, adding that the goal is to have deals finalized "by the end of mandatory minicamp."

For reference, this year's minicamp is set to go from June 11-13, meaning official deals could be announced within the next two weeks.

Cabot added that one of the extensions could potentially be down already, however, the Browns might want to announce both of them at the same time.

Whenever they are announced, though, Stefanski and Berry's extensions are a long time coming. It was back in March that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told The Athletic's Zac Jackson that ownership was "in the process of working through things so that Kevin and Andrew would be with us for an extended period of time."

After spending nearly 15 years in various roles with the Minnesota Vikings, Stefanski was announced as the Browns head coach ahead of the 2020 campaign. The Philadelphia, PA native guided Cleveland to its first 11-win season in nearly two decades that year, earning his first of two NFL Coach of the Year awards. He won his second last year after getting the Browns back into the playoffs following back-to-back losing campaigns.

Meanwhile, Berry's stint with the franchise is actually his second. The 37-year-old was previously Cleveland's vice president of player personnel from 2016 to 2018 but left to join the Philadelphia Eagles in a VP role in 2019. It didn't last long, though, as Berry returned to the Browns just one year later as the GM and EVP of football operations.

Despite being the NFL's youngest GM, Berry has done a tremendous job of transforming the Browns. Not only has he drafted well, but he's also helped bring in key veterans like Amari Cooper, Za'Darius Smith, and, most recently, Jerry Jeudy.

Hopefully, Berry and Stefanski's upcoming extensions are the start of even better things to come in Cleveland. FanDuel Sportsbook is currently listing the Browns' 2024 projected win total at 8.5 while giving them +4000 odds to win Super Bowl LIX (T-15th).

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