General manager Andrew Berry has found himself in the midst of scrutiny once more. The Cleveland Browns GM has had issues with roster construction and inconsistent draft results. This time around, he has been called out by NFL analyst Jourdan Rodrigue.

Rodrigue spoke about her bottom twelve front office General Managers on the NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal show on June 6. On her list, Andrew Berry was in the 21st spot.

 "I'm going with Andrew Berry here. I'm going with Andrew Berry as someone who has sunk down pretty much to the lower tier in my mind of what this exercise normally would be," said Rodrigue. "Especially two years ago and previously because of the decision that he helped facilitate, at the very least at quarterback, the contract for Deshaun Watson, in the midst of s***** a****** allegations."

The controversy around Watson began in 2021 when more than two dozen women accused him of engaging in illicit behaviour. Multiple lawsuits were filed, but GM Andrew Berry traded for Watson in 2022.

According to ESPN, Watson was fined $5 million and was suspended for 11 games due to his breach of the league's personal conduct policy.

However, Berry granted the QB a record-setting guaranteed contract. Berry facilitated getting Watson a $230 million deal, which included a $44.965 million signing bonus. Rodrigue feels that the Browns' GM favored talent over ethics.

The NFL further pointed out that Berry had been the source of the problems in the Cleveland Browns roster.

Berry has also faced problems in translating his reputation as an “advanced analytical” executive into consistent wins. Berry's hires have had continuity issues. One such example is former HC Kevin Stefanski, who was fired after the 2025 season.

But Rodrigue admitted that his recent moves are finally helping Cleveland "dig themselves out of the absolute dead weight hole of their own creation."

Berry seems to be trying to redeem himself. He hired Todd Monken as the new head coach and conducted player trades to add more talent to the Browns' roster.

Andrew Berry Relies On His Inner Circle To Make Smart Deals

Andrew Berry made a smart move signing the talented Jared Verse from the Los Angeles Rams. He did give away DE Myles Garrett, but ensured he was kept away from the AFC North so that the Browns don't have to go up against him.

All of this was the result of a brainstorming session with his inner circle. This think tank comprises executives from other boards, including the NBA, NHL, and MLB.

Berry's inner circle includes Sam Presti (NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder), Chaim Bloom (MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals, formerly Red Sox), and Kyle Dubas (NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins).

The group gets together and reaches decisions based on their conclusions. Some of these people have seen their fair share of office and contract-related issues.

Presti, for instance, is known for bold trades and rebuilding through draft capital, which helped Oklahoma win the 2025 NBA Finals.

Berry might have come under fire, but he is also making deals that would help his team. He did finish low according to Rodrigue's ranking, but hopefully, more smart moves like these will now help him move higher on the ranking.

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Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit