New Browns GM Berry wants 'smart, tough' players
New Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry made his priority clear on Wednesday when he met the media at his introductory news conference.
"If there's anything I want to be defined by, it is aggression. We're going to aggressively acquire talent," Berry said.
The Browns hired the 32-year-old Berry as their general manager on Jan. 28. He worked for three seasons as the Browns' vice president of player personnel from 2016-18 and spent last season as the Philadelphia Eagles' vice president of football operations.
He was with the Browns during their 1-31 stretch when the team's front office was focused on analytics. Now, he said, the Browns still will use analytics but will rely on a "scouting-centered" approach when it comes to player acquisitions. Berry said he will pursue players who are "smart, tough and accountable."
One player he said already fits the bill is Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018. Berry was with the Browns when the quarterback was selected and said there "was a ton of organizational consensus" when he was drafted and that "we still have a lot of belief in Baker as a QB. We're really excited about his future.''
And he said he also is excited to work with new coach Kevin Stefanski, who replaces Freddie Kitchens, fired after a 6-10 season in 2019.
"Kevin and I got to know each other during last year's coaching search and have maintained a genuine friendship. We ... share a vision," he said. "There is no bigger supporter of Kevin than me."
"It's been refreshing to see how well he and Kevin work together," owner Jimmy Haslam said of Berry in his opening remarks Wednesday.
And he likes the other qualities he's seen, too.
"Andrew has been in the building for seven or eight days and has really begun to put his mark on the Cleveland Browns," Haslam said.
The Browns last made the playoffs in 2002, losing in the wild-card round.
--Field Level media
