Tag Archives: Cleveland Browns

Browns coaching search grows

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The Cleveland Browns are leaving no stone unturned. The team is requesting to interview Brian Daboll, Mike McCarthy and Kevin Stefanski.

Cleveland wants to make sure they do everything to get this head coaching hire right. The Browns are already interviewing Josh McDaniels, Greg Roman and Robert Saleh. They have since added Brian Daboll, Mike McCarthy and Kevin Stefanski to their interview list.

Brian Daboll previously spent some time with the Browns. This was as the offensive coordinator under Eric Mangini from 2009-2010. Daboll has since made stops in Miami, Kansas City, New England and Buffalo. There has even been a stop in college, working under Nick Saban at Alabama. Daboll has plenty of experience working under some of the best minds in football. Josh Allen’s improvement from year one to year two is impressive and Daboll certainly has played a hand in it.

Mike McCarthy has spent an entire year away from football. This was to catch up on everything he missed and embrace a new analytical approach. While this does sound great, it send off red flags as well. It is essentially admitting that he can’t adapt. It is entirely possible that he falls behind again and is back where he started.

Kevin Stefanski has been in Minnesota since 2006. 2019 is the first year as a full time offensive coordinator with the Vikings and has done some great things. The concern here is inexperience and influence of Gary Kubiak. Kubiak is advising Stefanski, which is perfectly fine, but the question is what part of the Vikings success is Stefanski and what part is Kubiak? Have to wonder if Cleveland would seriously consider someone who is still relatively inexperienced as a coordinator again.

Robert Saleh is on the Browns radar

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The Cleveland Browns are casting a wide net in their search for a new head coach and have requested to interview Robert Saleh.

In addition to requesting to interview some hot offensive oriented head coaching candidates, the Cleveland Browns are looking at the defensive side of the ball for an answer. The Browns have requested to interview San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

Robert Saleh has been fantastic as defensive coordinator in San Francisco. Saleh’s defense in San Francisco has been one of the best in the league this season. This would be the proverbial pendulum swing when it comes to style of head coach. Cleveland has hired Hue Jackson and Freddie Kitchens due to being offensive minded coaches. This would be the first defensive head coaching hire since Mike Pettine. (Gregg Williams was only an interim head coach but is from the defensive side of the ball).

Saleh would be a first time head coach. Many feel that this particular Browns team is in need of someone who has coached before. However Saleh would bring many qualities that the team needs.

Robert Saleh will interview with the Browns this week.

Jarvis Landry was asked about traits that the next coach needs to have.

Does Robert Saleh check off those boxes? That is what the Browns will be asking. Cleveland needs an adult in the room to keep the team in line. If Saleh is going to be seriously considered he needs to be able to lead the team.

Cleveland just needs to make sure that they hire the right man for the job. Experience is great, but the right person for the job is the right person regardless of experience. Maybe that is Robert Saleh, maybe it’s not. Only time will tell.

Browns looking at McDaniels, Roman

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The Cleveland Browns head coaching search is on. Requesting permission to interview assistants from two of the top teams in the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns fired Freddie Kitchens Sunday after their loss to the Bengals. Cleveland is already making their targets for their next head coach known. Requesting permission to interview Josh McDaniels of the New England Patriots.

They have also requested permission from Baltimore to interview Greg Roman.

Both potential candidates are offensive minded, so any sort of pendulum swing to a defensive head coach may not be in the cards.

Josh McDaniels is going to be a hot commodity, even with his past. The stop in Denver which did not go well and leaving the Colts at the altar. McDaniels is a person that is clearly valued by those who are running NFL teams. McDaniels is probably going to want a lot of control wherever he ends up. With John Dorsey currently installed as the general manager, it does not appear to be a good fit at this moment. That is if Cleveland decides to keep Dorsey and not make wholesale changes. A McDaniels hire makes sense if Dorsey it out of the picture.

Greg Roman is an interesting candidate. Roman is the architect of the offense in Baltimore that saw Lamar Jackson soar this season and is the clear MVP. Roman also had success previously with Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco. The takeaway here is that both quarterbacks are vastly different than what the Browns have in Baker Mayfield. The fit with Mayfield is a bit questionable. Maybe Roman adapts some concepts to Mayfield’s playing style. Maybe this is just a way to find out a little bit more on how Baltimore is doing things.

The Browns are going to be aggressive and make sure they get “their guy”. Is their guy the right guy? That might be a different story.

Nick Chubb finishes 2nd in rushing

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Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb finished second overall in rushing, 46 yards behind Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans.

There was a chance for Nick Chubb to win the 2019 NFL rushing title. In fact, Chubb was the leading rusher after the conclusion of the Browns loss to the Bengals. Unfortunately for Chubb, Derrick Henry had a great day and finished as the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,540 yards.

Nick Chubb rushed 298 times. for 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019. This was a great season. This was the fourth-most rushing yards in Browns history. The top three seasons all belong to Jim Brown. The fifth, sixth and seventh best rushing seasons also belong to Brown. There is not much more that could have been asked of Chubb.

This was 46 yards shy of what Derrick Henry finished with. Chubb had a great season, but the fact the Browns offense was lackluster down the stretch impacted his ability to lead the NFL in rushing. Finishing short of the rushing title is more on coaching than the ability of Nick Chubb.

Chubb did not rush more than 20 times over the final five games. The most rushing attempts that Chubb had in a game was 17. Cleveland did lose four of their final five games and were trailing in most of them. Cleveland needed to pass in order to get back into the game and were not able to run the ball with Chubb. Perhaps rushing with Chubb earlier in the game alters those games, Chubb’s final stat line and maybe the status of the head coach.

Cleveland Browns fire Freddie Kitchens

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The Cleveland Browns have decided to part ways with head coach Freddie Kitchens after just one tumultuous season on the job.

Everyone saw this coming. The Cleveland Browns have fired Freddie Kitchens.

Kitchens told Ian Rapoport over the phone. As Rapoport later tweeted, Kitchens believed he had support from the team.

John Dorsey and Jimmy Haslam met with Kitchens after returning from Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. As anyone knows, meeting late at night with your employer is rarely a good sign. Once the news of a meeting of Sunday night broke, his fate was known to pretty much everyone.

Freddie Kitchens went 6-10 in his only season as the head coach of the Browns. Kitchens is the second head coach this decade fired by Cleveland after just one year on the job. The first was Rob Chudzinski. Kitchens time in Cleveland will not be remembered fondly. Constant distractions and bad decision making led the team to their lackluster finish. Mysterious inactive listings, players displaying a lack of self control on and off the field and of course, the infamous t-shirt. Freddie Kitchens was in over the head from the start.

More changes on the horizon?

The possibility of Kitchens being fired after only one season gained serious traction on Saturday. Mike Lombardi said that he heard from sources that Kitchens could be on his way out. Lombardi’s sources were right. There is also the part where Lombardi mentioned the job status of John Dorsey. Right now, Dorsey is still the general manger of the Cleveland Browns. The question is will Haslam let Dorsey conduct another coaching search? Dorsey led the last coaching search. Dorsey compiled the talent on the roster and there are holes everywhere. The roster is in pretty rough shape once you get past the top end talent.

Jimmy Haslam is definitely a wild card when it comes to firing coaches and front office executives. It is very possible that Haslam wants to start fresh with a clean slate, firing both Kitchens and Dorsey. Start fresh from top to bottom and give a new regime their shot at running the show. He’s done it before, who says he won’t do it again?

Big changes coming for Browns?

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Big changes could be on the horizon for the Cleveland Browns and that is just not limited to firing head coach Freddie Kitchens.

It is the wheel that just keeps on turning. There could be more than just a coaching change coming for the Cleveland Browns. Mike Lombardi says that two sources have indicated as such.

ProFootballTalk even reported something similar to what Lombardi said which should point towards wholesale changes being made.

There are plenty of people who just like to claim that Mike Lombardi has some sort of vendetta with Cleveland for firing him. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Lombardi has even stated he holds no ill will towards the Browns, he was able to get two more Super Bowl rings in New England. Given the options of perpetual losing in Cleveland or Super Bowl rings in New England what would you choose? The choice is easy.

Now, back to the Browns.

Freddie Kitchens

Let’s start with the head coach. Freddie Kitchens was brought in for his perceived chemistry with Baker Mayfield. It appears that the success that was seen last year was a mirage. The performance on the field has not lived up to expectations and the team has issues all across the board. Kitchens does not have control of the team. Any and all attempts of discipline are laughable and nobody can take what he does seriously. One more time, the t-shirt? Yeah, that was stupid. A head coach cannot wear that shirt and then act like a hard-ass. Don’t like it? Too bad. That’s the rules.

John Dorsey

Here is the deal. John Dorsey came in with such bravado about bringing in real football players. While the top talent on the Browns has increased, the middle part of the roster, the depth, is clearly lacking. That is where championship level teams are made and lost. Being able to find production from players in a limited role and even having them step in to start on occasion is essential for playoff contenders and Super Bowl hopefuls.

Dorsey has relied on bringing in players with character issues, red flags, flaws, etc. Any way you put it, guys who are off the board for other teams. If it works it is heralded as genius team building. When it doesn’t? Buffoonery. Is it a double standard? Absolutely, but that is the deal with the devil that is made when operating in this manner.

The Decision

Apparently, the Browns have not made a decision yet. If that is the truth, they are even more of a clown show that anyone could imagine.

A win in Week 17 should not save Freddie Kitchens. If those in charge are actually usually a meaningless game against the team with the worst record to gauge the future of their coach that is a big problem. There is plenty of proof that Kitchens is not suited for this job. Cleveland needs to use that information when evaluating their head coach and not the outcome of the final game of the season.

Will the Browns fire Freddie Kitchens? Probably. Is John Dorsey also on the hot seat? If not, he should be. There have been many mistakes by Dorsey during his time as GM of the Browns and at some point he needs to be held accountable.

“Full Dorse” better make sure he knows where the unemployment office is just in case. He is far from blameless and should be far from safe.

What does the future hold for David Njoku?

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The Cleveland Browns are going to have to make a decision when it comes to their plans and the future of tight end David Njoku.

Is David Njoku a part of the future for the Cleveland Browns? Nobody seems to know. Njoku has been a healthy scratch for two straight games despite appearing in Week 14. His status is unknown for Week 17 and that could also apply to his future with the team.

Coming out of the draft, David Njoku was considered raw. The rawness of Njoku was accepted due to the high upside and youth. Three years later he is still raw and leaves a lot to be desired. Is he a talented athlete? Absolutely, but being an athlete can only carry him so far. There are still some areas which Njoku is lacking in which could impact his longterm status in Cleveland.

Catch percentage and run blocking are lacking

One area is catch percentage. In 16 games last year Njoku caught 63.6% of his targets. This number is less than some of the better tight ends in the NFL this season. In fact, in would rank 34th this season. That is not necessarily a ringing endorsement in this particular area.

A part of his game that does not discussed enough is blocking. David Njoku is not a good blocker and that is a problem. Rob Gronkowski was considered one, if not the greatest tight end ever not only because he was an elite pass catcher, but because he was an excellent blocker. Currently George Kittle is considered one of the best tight ends in the league because he also excels in both areas. If a tight end is unable to block, he is not a tight end, he is a big bodied receiver. This describes David Njoku.

David Njoku is still young and can improve, but how much? Cleveland has to make a decision about his future with the team. With how the roster is currently constructed and assumed roster moves (Rashard Higgins), Cleveland could use another receiver. That is if they acquire an actual tight end. If not, Njoku could be just another player the Browns move on from.

Jarvis Landry has been playing through injury

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry has apparently been playing through an injury which might require surgery after the season.

Throughout the course the season, NFL players will play with various injuries. Ranging from bumps and bruises to sometimes an injury that is a bit more serious. Jarvis Landry is currently dealing with a hip issue which began as a vertebrae fracture.

As stated above, Jarvis Landry may get surgery after the season to fix the issue. The fact that his previous injury developed into a hip issue and Landry has still been productive this season is just a testament to his toughness.

In fact, if Landry finishes with 66 or more receiving yards in Week 17 it will be a new career-high for the former-LSU Tiger. Landry did catch four passes for 76 yards against the Bengals in Week 14, so it is not entirely out of the question. Landry might be able to top his current career-high of 1,157 yards with another productive outing against Cincinnati.

The difference between this season and 2015 is that it will come on fewer receptions and a higher yards per reception. In 2015, Jarvis Landry finished with 94 receptions. Currently Landry has 81 receptions and it is highly unlikely that he equals his total from 2015. His average yards per catch is three yards higher this season (13.5) than 2015 (10.5).

While a potential career-high in yardage hasn’t helped the Browns on the field (they are 6-9 in a lost season), it does help provide some hope for the future. The team has a collection of talent that is just in need of a new coach. Landry with Odell Beckham Jr., Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and Baker Mayfield should be better than what has been seen on the field this season. Perhaps the Browns can put things together next season in all too crucial 2020 season.

Freddie Kitchens to call plays in Week 17

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Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens will continue to call plays in their season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Does this really surprise anyone? Freddie Kitchens is not turning over play calling duties in the season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

It seems like Kitchens is going to use Week 17 as a last ditch effort to save his job. That is if he feels if his job in jeopardy, which it should be. The Cincinnati Bengals are really bad and could give those in charge some false confidence in the ability of Kitchens as a head coach and wrongly save his job. Although, Cleveland barely defeated the Bengals just a few weeks ago.

Those who want to see something different are clamoring for Todd Monken to get a chance to call plays. The reality is that the Browns will still be terrible. The only difference that may be seen is less trick plays, but that is about it. Monken relies on the deep ball. Also known as holding the ball for a long time and relying on the quarterback to correctly read a defense. Well, Baker Mayfield has failed at that aspect this season and unless someone is wide the hell open, that throw isn’t happening. There are a fair amount of times where Baker Mayfield doesn’t even see the wide open receiver, which is a completely different discussion.

Unless Todd Monken is going to go against everything he believes in, the offense will look the same for the most part. Monken does not like the short, rhythm throws that good offenses thrive on. Instead, Monken prefers the vaunted deep ball, an option that the most inconsistent offenses rely on.

The only thing that giving play calling duties to Todd Monken at this point in time would accomplish is providing the fans a new direction in which to channel their frustration towards.

Steve Wilks: Delusional or liar?

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Steve Wilks stated that Freddie Kitchens is the right guy to lead the Cleveland Browns. Is Wilks delusional or just a liar?

Steve Wilks made an interesting statement Thursday. Saying “Without a doubt I think Freddie is the right guy for the job. You can see the progress moving forward” Well that’s bold. Most people believe the complete opposite. Most people believe that Freddie Kitchens will be fired after the season is over. Yet, we have Wilks saying things of this manner. Is Steve Wilks delusional or just a liar?

No one, and I mean no one has been impressed by the job that Freddie Kitchens has done. The Browns have underperformed since the start of the season and their season is about to end in unimpressive fashion for the umpteenth time. In regards to his statement about progress? There has been none. The team still doesn’t know where to line up on offense. The team still is unprepared for each game they play. There is no way that Wilks truly believes that Kitchens is the right guy. If he does believe this it is pure delusion. Nobody believes he is the right guy. In fact, the right guy is literally anyone else. Well, anyone besides Hue Jackson.

This brings up the next possibility. That Steve Wilks is a liar. Wilks knows that if Freddie Kitchens somehow stays in Cleveland he has to make a case to remain employed by the Browns. Wilks’ defensive unit has been underwhelming all season long, even before the indefinite suspension of Myles Garrett. This could be about trying to gain favor with those who ultimately decide his employment status, not necessarily being truthful.

Eventually when Steve Wilks is no longer in Cleveland, (whether he is fired by Kitchens or with Kitchens), the truth will come out. That he truly believes that Freddie Kitchens is the man who should lead the Cleveland Browns or that he was only looking to save his own job in order to avoid moving to a third city in as many seasons.