Alex Van Pelt could be a perfect candidate for the Browns at OC (again)

If there was one area a part of the Cleveland Browns' game this season that clearly needed a full rehaul, it was their offense. That's not something to place squarely on former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey's shoulders - he was brought on to help Deshaun Watson adjust to Cleveland's system, but couldn't stay healthy enough for that - but it was bad enough that Dorsey had to be fired.

So, Cleveland is once again back at square one with their OC. Head coach Kevin Stefanski, who has job security for 2025, will be taking the reins in finding and hiring a new coordinator for his staff - someone who can work with him and can adjust to whoever the Browns have at signal caller in Week 1 would be ideal for this team.

To bring someone on who is already familiar with how Stefanski works, and how the rest of the offense sans Watson works, would be perfect. And, that exact person just became free to take back the job he held in 2023.

Alex Van Pelt could return to Cleveland in 2025 as OC

Alex Van Pelt was the Browns' offensive coordinator back in 2023, helping lead a ground-centric offense which finished up 10th in points and 16th in yards, a far cry from their 2024 in which they finished up dead last in points and 28th in yards. Van Pelt's release, according to an ESPN article from Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi, was confusing to some players on the Browns.

"Van Pelt, who served as Browns OC from 2020 to 2023, had been in lockstep with Stefanski's principles. The Cleveland offense was known as a run-efficient, play-action attack powered by legendary O-line coach Bill Callahan's gap-scheme runs -- and had allowed the Browns to have success even with an unstable quarterback situation," said Fowler and Oyefusi in their report.

After his release, he went on to go be the OC for the New England Patriots, who struggled throughout the season to win games despite how well rookie quarterback Drake Maye had performed in his first year. As a result of the Patriots' 4-13 finish, there were some conflicting reports around his job security, but it seems like for now, Van Pelt is still their OC despite the firing of HC Jerod Mayo.

But, if he were to become available with a new head coaching regime being ushered in soon to New England, the Browns should seriously consider hiring him again. His familiarity with Stefanski's ways as a coach in addition to the chance to mold a different quarterback within that system, while also having a chance to revitalize the run game again, would make him a perfect candidate for the job, again.