Ken Dorsey has never worked as an offensive coordinator under an offensive-minded head coach. Throughout his coaching career, he's spent time as a quarterbacks coach under Ron Rivera in Carolina and earned his first offensive coordinator role in Buffalo under Sean McDermott.
With two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski spending several years coaching various offensive positions in Minnesota before becoming the head coach in Cleveland, there were questions entering training camp over whether Dorsey or Stefanski would be calling the plays on offense.
Stefanski opened his first media availability at The Greenbrier in late July by announcing that he would retain play calling duties this season.
At Monday's practice – the second back at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus – Dorsey addressed the media for the first time since Stefanski made his decision.
Dorsey said that Stefanski had been communicating with him about play calling throughout the hiring process, and that Stefanski's choice to keep calling the offense did not come as a surprise.
"From day one in this process of interviewing and all that, Kevin was very upfront and honest about everything," Dorsey said. "And you don't always get that in the league. He was very upfront and so I knew going in that there was going to be a process to go through and at the end of the day, I want to win football games. Kevin's a fantastic play caller and I feel good where we're at."
Check out photos of the team during the ninth day of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) and Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive guard Javion Cohen (67) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive end Alex Wright (91) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Center Luke Wypler (56) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Callie Brownson during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Coaching Consultant Mike Vrabel during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Myles Harden (26) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Fullback Giovanni Ricci (44) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Safety Brady Breeze (39) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Safety Vincent Gray (31) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Wide receiver Jalen Camp (84) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Wide receiver Jalen Camp (84) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) and Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) and Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
Wide receiver Ahmarean Brown (87) during Day 9 of Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 5, 2024.
The preseason will serve as not only a way for coaching staff to evaluate their players, but for Dorsey to evaluate his position on game day and how he can maximize his impact on the offense.
"It's a new role for me to be perfectly honest," Dorsey said. "There will be that feeling-out process as we go, which it's great to have these preseason games to get that feel and get that rhythm. It allows me to definitely be as involved as humanly possible with the game plan and putting the plan together. And then at the same time, really being able to focus on our quarterback room and being prepared for meetings and being prepared for when they step on the field in practice and on game day."
Dorsey, who has worked with star quarterbacks such as Cam Newton and Josh Allen, said that he would most likely be on the sideline during game days rather than in the coaching box. However, he emphasized as the Browns work through the preseason, his location on game day could change.
Dorsey, who had an illustrious career as a quarterback at the University of Miami, has been working closely with the quarterbacks at practice throughout the offseason program and training camp. He said he was pleased with how he's seen QB Deshaun Watson work through the offseason after his season-ending shoulder surgery in November 2023.
"I think he's progressing well for us," Dorsey said. "I think he's doing a really good job of managing his body, managing his shoulder, having great open communication with us to make sure it feels like it's in the right space for him. But physically out there, throwing it, I think you saw him get some balls vertically downfield throughout camp which is very encouraging to see and very positive for us."
The Browns OC said they were still in the process of deciding whether Watson would appear in a preseason game.
"Those are decisions you don't want to rush. You want to make sure that you make decisions that are in the best interest of the team and best interest of the player," Dorsey said, adding later that, in his eyes, Watson has looked back to 100 percent.
For now, Dorsey and the offensive coaching staff are focused on getting Watson in the best position possible going into the season. The best way to do that, Dorsey said, is to enable Watson to try different things out in practice.
"A lot of the position in general is about confidence and going out and doing it and repping it and making a mistake or making a good play and learning from those things and growing," Dorsey said. "So, I think part of that is always just the confidence of going out like, hey, can I fit this into this window in practice? And that's where you learn, can I do it in the game?"
