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NFL
Reports: Browns hire Bel Air’s Berry as GM
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Berry spent three years as Cleveland’s vice president of player personnel from 2016 to 2018. He served as the Philadelphia Eagles’ vice president of football operations last season, and will have final say over Cleveland’s 53-man roster. According to the Associated Press, Berry will get a five-year deal.
Berry, 32, becomes the youngest general manager in the NFL and just the second active black general manager, along with Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins. Berry is the sixth GM hired by Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam since 2012.
The Browns in January hired former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as its coach after interviewing several candidates, including Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
The Haslams are determined to have alignment between their coach and general manager after numerous failed tries at restructuring the Browns, who haven’t made it to the playoffs since 2002 and have been in nearly constant disarray. Berry was well-liked during his first stint with the team and the Haslams hope his connection with Stefanski finally brings needed stability.
The Browns have spent the past two weeks looking for a GM to replace John Dorsey, who resigned Dec. 31 after two years with the team. Dorsey rebuilt Cleveland’s roster during his tenure, but he fell from favor when he recommended Freddie Kitchens to be hired as coach a year ago and was asked to accept a reduced role after a 6-10 season.
During Berry’s first stay in Cleveland, the Browns went 8-39-1 while he served as the team’s vice president of player personnel. That run included a 1-15 record in 2016 and 0-16 in 2017.
The Browns interviewed Berry at their headquarters Jan, 17, when they also met with New England Patriots director of scouting Monti Ossenfort.
Berry had been with Philadelphia since last February. He left the Browns after Dorsey brought in assistant GM Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Alonzo Highsmith after working with them in Green Bay.
Before joining the Browns, Berry spent seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, starting as a scout and eventually leading the team’s scouting department.