Ryan Grigson returns to Browns as senior football advisor

Ryan Grigson is returning to the Cleveland Browns as a senior football advisor, bringing him back into the club’s personnel department for a third stint. Officials said Grigson left the Minnesota Vikings after the 2024 season and chose Cleveland after being offered the chance to remain in Minnesota in a different capacity following a front-office reshuffle.

Grigson previously held the same senior football advisor title with Cleveland from 2020 to 2021. He also worked for the Browns in 2017 as a senior personnel executive, giving him familiarity with the organization’s evaluation and roster-building processes.

In Minnesota, Grigson served as assistant general manager last season under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. He had been the Vikings’ senior vice president of player personnel from 2022 to 2024 before that promotion.

The Vikings recently adjusted their front-office structure and added Andrew Healy and Trent Kirchner as assistant general managers. Officials said Grigson was offered a role to stay with the organization, but opted to return to Cleveland.

Browns add experience to the personnel group

Grigson is set to advise on roster and personnel evaluation, a broad front-office function that can include input on scouting priorities, depth-chart planning and overall roster construction. His return gives Cleveland another veteran evaluator as clubs move through offseason assessments and longer-range roster planning.

Because he has worked in the building before, Grigson is expected to slot quickly into the Browns’ established process. The hire also fits the common leaguewide approach of supplementing personnel departments with experienced executives who can provide an additional viewpoint on player evaluation.

Executive track record includes Colts GM tenure

Grigson’s NFL front-office background includes his tenure as general manager of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2016. After leaving Indianapolis, he held senior personnel roles with the Browns and later moved to Minnesota, where he climbed through multiple executive positions before last season’s assistant general manager role.

Cleveland’s next step will be integrating Grigson into its personnel workflow as offseason evaluations continue around the league.