Sean McDermott moved on from both Leslie Frazier and Ken Dorsey in 2023, with the latter decision preceding a late-season surge. But Dorsey had helped the Bills produce high-end offensive work during his 1 1/2-season tenure as the team’s play-caller. Both he and Frazier are on the interview circuit this year.
The Browns met with Dorsey this week about their newly vacant post, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Cleveland fired Alex Van Pelt this week, opening up its non-play-calling coordinator position. The Bills made Dorsey a coaching free agent back in November.
Remembered for his stretch as the Bills’ OC post, Dorsey may still be best known for his place as the quarterback on Miami’s dominant early-2000s teams. He parlayed that college success into a career as an NFL backup; that included a stop in Cleveland. In a 2006 trade that sent Trent Dilfer to the 49ers, the Browns obtained Dorsey and a seventh-round pick. Dorsey finished out his playing career in Cleveland, working primarily as a Browns backup from 2006-08. He made three starts in place of Derek Anderson in 2008.
Dorsey, 42, spent four-plus seasons in Buffalo, joining McDermott’s staff in 2019 as quarterbacks coach. Previously, he spent five seasons as the Panthers’ QBs coach. These stints allowed Dorsey to help develop Cam Newton and Josh Allen, with both becoming superstars during these stays. Brian Daboll‘s Giants hire allowed Dorsey, who was in place during Newton’s MVP season as the Panthers stormed to Super Bowl 50, to call plays for the first time. That promotion produced mixed results.
Allen battled an elbow injury last season but still powered the Bills to a 13-3 record. The Bills ranked second offensively last season. But Buffalo’s QB dynamo struggled with turnovers to start the 2023 campaign. Eleven of Allen’s career-high 18 interceptions occurred during Dorsey’s 10-game run as OC. After the Bills’ last-second loss to the Broncos in November, McDermott made Dorsey a sacrificial lamb by indicating the scuffling team needed to change something. The Bills promoted Joe Brady, and while their offensive performance has not exactly spiked, the team has stabilized its season and returned to the divisional round.
Dorsey joins Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson as Browns OC targets thus far. The Browns employed Van Pelt as Kevin Stefanski‘s right-hand man on offense for four seasons.
