Fresh from firing head coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer, the Cleveland Browns have made an interesting offseason move by recruiting from the New York Mets Paul DePodesta, once Billy Beane’s sabermetrics guru at the Oakland A’s.
DePodesta, who helped the Mets reach the World Series last season in his role as vice-president of player development and scouting, has been named “chief strategy officer” at the Browns, and will report to owner Jimmy Haslam and team president Alec Scheiner.
Despite having never worked in the NFL, DePodesta, sources say, will rank above newly hired executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown in the Browns’ organizational hierarchy.
Haslam said in a statement: “We are fortunate to bring in Paul, an extremely talented, highly respected sports executive who will add a critical dimension to our front office. His approach and ambition to find the best pathways for organizational success transcend one specific sport and his experience as a high-level sports executive make him a terrific addition to the Cleveland Browns.
“While we are excited about what Paul will provide our organization, we remain fully focused on the critical task of identifying the right head coach and player personnel executive who will provide the football expertise needed to be successful.”
The Browns expect DePodesta to help members of the team’s player development, sports science and analytics departments. He will also have a significant voice in determining Browns personnel decisions, including the question of what to do with Johnny Manziel, the former first-round draft pick whose struggles on and off the field were one reason the Browns ended the 2015 NFL season with a 3-13 record.
DePodesta said in a statement: “Cleveland and football have always held a special place in my heart. It was 20 years ago this month, after pursing my first love of football and looking at every possible job in the NFL, that I got the biggest break I could imagine – a job offer from the American League Champion Cleveland Indians. As excited as I was then, I am even more excited now to return to Cleveland and to try to help the Browns.
“Admittedly, there will be an awful lot for me to learn, but I want nothing more than to help bring consistent, championship caliber football back to Cleveland and Browns fans and I look forward to starting right away.”
DePodesta has worked in baseball for almost 20 years, having been hired by the Cleveland Indians in 1996. After leaving Oakland, DePodesta became general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers in February 2004. In his first season, the team won the NL West with a 93-69 record and secured their first playoff win since 1988, but the following season, after a series of controversial off-season trades, LA recorded its worst finish for 11 years and DePodesta was fired.
DePodesta, 43, has also worked in hockey and Canadian football. He is also known for his appearance in Michael Lewis’s book Moneyball, and was the inspiration for Jonah Hill’s character in the 2011 film adaptation.
