Could Browns Collapse Lead Bill Belichick Back To Cleveland?

The Browns made a big move Tuesday, and it could be them realizing the season is lost after Week 6.

Cleveland traded Amari Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round pick. The Browns made the deal after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field this past Sunday to fall to 1-5.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski refused to bench Deshaun Watson despite the quarterback’s horrid play, and it seems like Cleveland is hoping Nick Chubb can save them despite coming off a torn ACL, PCL and MCL.

It’s shaping up to be another bleak season for the Browns, who’ve only made the postseason twice in the last 20 years and kicked out Baker Mayfield after he brought the team back to relevancy.

It’d be surprising if Stefanski kept his job, but who would Cleveland turn to? Bill Belichick could be knocking on that door.

The former New England Patriots head coach has been linked to multiple destinations. The Dallas Cowboys also look like a sinking ship, Doug Pederson seems to be on his last legs with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Nick Sirianni appears to be on thin ice with the Philadelphia Eagles. The one team that can probably be ruled out is the New York Jets since Belichick still doesn’t seem to be the biggest fan of ownership.

Belichick seems to still be close with the higher-ups in Cleveland when he tried to get Greg Schiano a job. He also vouched for Josh McDaniels with the Browns, and Michael Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in Cleveland in the 1990s, got another job as an executive in 2013 after some help from his former boss.

If you’re too young to remember, Belichick’s first NFL head coaching gig was with the Browns. He built a foundation with the team from 1991-95 before the team relocated to the Ravens. Those in Belichick’s camp will tell you that foundation in the ’90s played a big part in Baltimore’s Super Bowl XXXV win.

The Browns could try to seek drastic change, and Belichick could help facilitate that. Ownership likely won’t have a problem with the 72-year-old bringing his people — something other franchises might be afraid of. What that new staff does with Watson is anyone’s guess, but if Belichick desires to gain control over an organization, a reunion with Cleveland could be his best choice.