Mark Madden: Mike Tomlin is wrong; Andrew Berry did what's best for the Browns

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin fairly berated Cleveland GM Andrew Berry for trading quarterback Joe Flacco to AFC North rival Cincinnati:

“It doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your (Week 1 starter) to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area.

“Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us.”

Berry is.

Tomlin is wrong.

Cleveland isn’t going anywhere this season. Berry knows that. His team quickly proved that by starting 1-5.

The Browns drafted two quarterbacks this year: Dillon Gabriel in the third round, Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Flacco is 40 and wasn’t part of Cleveland’s plans beyond stop-gap. He threw six interceptions in the four games he started for the Browns this season.

To get any favorable return for Flacco — even moving up to a fifth-round pick from a sixth — was advisable.

Trading within the division is utterly irrelevant. Old-school fool thinking.

You make the best trade you can to help your franchise, regardless of who the partner is.

Craig Patrick — the former Penguins GM and Hockey Hall of Famer — has often said that.

Patrick proved it, too.

In 1992, Patrick traded two future Hall of Famers — Paul Coffey and Mark Recchi — in a three-way deal that involved Philadelphia. Not just a division foe but the Penguins’ most bitter rival.

The trade fetched Rick Tocchet, Kjell Samuelsson, Ken Wregget and a second straight Stanley Cup.

I suspect Berry is, indeed, smarter than Tomlin. Berry seems to think like Patrick, and that’s a good thing.

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Berry appears a secondary figure in this.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wanted to draft Sanders. Flacco’s departure is a step in clearing the path for Sanders to play.

Tomlin is chapped because, with Joe Burrow out, Tomlin knows Flacco is a bigger threat at Cincinnati’s helm than Jake Browning, whom Flacco supplants. Especially given Flacco’s still-lively deep arm and Cincinnati’s star wideouts, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. (The Steelers visit Cincinnati on Thursday.)

You may recall that when the Steelers played Indianapolis last season, Tomlin implored his defense to not hurt Colts QB Anthony Richardson, knowing Flacco coming off the bench was a bigger threat. As Flacco proved by throwing two touchdowns in a 27-24 win.

The Browns stink again.

Joe Haden, ex- of both the Browns and Steelers, said, “If Coach Tomlin were coaching the Browns, they would not ever be in this situation.”

But Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has won NFL Coach of the Year twice, Tomlin not at all.

The Browns have won a playoff game more recently than the Steelers: in the 2020 season, when they beat the Steelers.

The Browns and Steelers are both in a “situation,” each frustrating in a different way.