The Browns' season is over, but the team's offseason drama will likely hit soap opera levels.

Why it matters: Front office decisions over the next few months will determine whether Cleveland can turn things around or if an already despondent fanbase should prepare for more disappointment.

State of play: The Browns lost Saturday to the Baltimore Ravens, finishing the season 3-14 and in last place in the AFC North.

• Following the loss, Cleveland fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.

What they're saying: Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, said last month he doesn't want to be part of a potential "rebuild."

• "I'm trying to win right now," Garrett told reporters. "And I want that to be apparent when the season is over and we have those discussions."

Catch up quick: Just after Christmas, the Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson agreed to restructure his contract — signaling his likely return next season despite poor play.

• Cleveland could potentially sign quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is likely to be cut by the Atlanta Falcons.
• Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was Cousins' offensive coordinator when the latter made the Pro Bowl with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019.

Between the lines: Off the field, Mayor Justin Bibb last week informed Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam the city will invoke the "Modell Law" to keep the team from moving to a new stadium in Brook Park when its downtown lease expires in 2028.

• The law was passed after former owner Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore in 1996.
• It states no owner of an Ohio professional sports team using a "tax-supported facility" can move the team without six months' notice and giving locals a chance to buy the team.

Fun fact: The law was last used in 2018 to keep the Columbus Crew soccer team from moving to Austin, Texas. The Haslams wound up buying the team.

The latest: The Browns filed a federal suit seeking clarification of the "Modell Law," Ideastream reports.

The bottom line: Cleveland will face questions about every aspect of its organization this offseason with seemingly no easy answers.

Many eyes will be on the Browns heading into the NFL Draft this April.

The intrigue: Cleveland has 11 picks, including the No. 2 overall selection.

Why it matters: The Browns are in a position, should they choose, to land one of the top quarterback prospects and fill several other roster holes.

State of play: The Tennessee Titans, who could also draft a quarterback, are locked in at No. 1.

• The consensus top-rated QBs in the draft are Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward.

The other side: There's no guarantee the Browns will take a quarterback with their first pick, especially with high-priced Deshaun Watson still on the roster.

• Top non-QB prospects include Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter, Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Michigan edge rusher Will Johnson.

The bottom line: The Browns will have one of the most expensive rosters in 2025, making the draft an essential and inexpensive way to improve the team.

💻 The nonprofit DigitalC, which provides home internet for $18 per month, is expanding its footprint to Cleveland's west side.

• The service now has more than 2,500 subscribers, up from 300 in May. (Signal Cleveland)

🤑 A Dayton-area Ohio Lottery player who purchased a winning Powerball ticket — good for a $138 million jackpot — has not come forward in six months. The ticket has now expired. (Fox 8)

🚴🏾 The Memorial Bridges Loop, a planned three-mile, two-way bike lane connecting Ohio City with Gateway, would be the first protected bike lane downtown. (Cleveland Scene)

🗳️ Cuyahoga County Councilman Dale Miller, who represents Lakewood, Brook Park and parts of Cleveland's west side, was unanimously elected as that body's new president. (Ideastream)

The nonprofit Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) announced Thursday it is appealing the reversal of a zoning variance that would have allowed a homeless youth drop-in center in Ohio City.

Why it matters: Across a two-year legal dispute, the plan has enflamed tensions in a gentrified neighborhood that is also home to organizations serving the poor.

Catch up quick: The Cleveland Board of Zoning Appeals granted LMM a variance in March 2023 to operate the drop-in center at its location at 4100 Franklin Boulevard.

• Plans called for it being open 10 hours per day, providing youth access to basic needs (laundry, showers, phone chargers, etc.) and individual case management.

The latest: Cuyahoga County Judge Brian Mooney reversed the variance last month, ruling that LMM should locate its facility in a neighborhood already zoned for such activity.

Between the lines: LMM and its partners worked directly with youth experiencing homelessness to select the Ohio City site.

Stunning stat: Cleveland is the only big city in the state without a dedicated youth drop-in center, limiting services for more than 500 youth who experience homelessness here annually.

The last word...

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This week's photo was taken by retired photo journalist Thomas Ondrey (@tom_ondrey_photography), who captured snow in Ashtabula.

📷 If you have a recent photo representing Cleveland's essence, please submit it by replying to this email.