By Canadian Press

GM Dorsey, Browns part ways after disappointing 6-10 season

Dec 31, 2019 | 1:16 PM

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have parted ways with general manager John Dorsey two days after the team fired coach Freddie Kitchens.

Dorsey’s stunning departure on Tuesday came after he met with owner Jimmy Haslam, who is once again cleaning house after a disappointing 6-10 season.

Dorsey had revamped the Browns during his two seasons as GM, but his hiring of Kitchens backfired as the Browns fell way short of expectations and missed the playoffs for the 17th straight season — the NFL’s longest current drought.

Earlier in the day, the Browns postponed a scheduled news conference with Dorsey, with the team saying it was pushing it back until Thursday because of the New Year’s holiday and meetings about the coaching search.

However, there was much more taking place as Dorsey was being pushed aside after just two years on the job.

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The Browns are in the preliminary stages of their coaching search, which will be affected by Dorsey leaving. The team has received permission to interview several candidates, including New England offensive co-ordinator Josh McDaniels and Baltimore offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman.

Dorsey joined the Browns in December 2016 after previous stints in Green Bay and Kansas City and immediately began overhauling a roster lacking talent and a front office with no direction.

Dorsey made several astute moves and his decision to draft quarterback Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall in 2018 looked like a winner when the QB broke the league rookie record for touchdown passes. Mayfield, though, regressed in his second year under Kitchens, who Dorsey favoured over other candidates a year ago despite his lack of head coaching experience.

The Browns were undisciplined and one of the league’s most penalized teams in 2019. They collapsed down the stretch, losing their final three games, capped by Sunday’s 33-23 loss to the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, who won just two games.

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Tom Withers, The Associated Press