Getty General Manager John Dorsey (left) and owner Jimmy Haslam of the Cleveland Browns.
Following the firing of Freddie Kitchens, the list of Cleveland Browns coaching candidates is growing by the hour.
Among the names that have come out is an interesting and somewhat under the radar candidate with a history in Cleveland in Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
The Browns requested to interview Daboll on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Daboll is just 44, but has nearly two decades of experience in the NFL as an assistant, having won five Super Bowls with the Patriots (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI) and a national championship at Alabama in 2017. Daboll spent time in Cleveland under head coach Eric Mangini in 2009 and 2010.
What makes the interest by the Browns a bit surprising is the fact that the Bills offense hasn’t exactly been prolific this season. They rank 23rd in points per game at 19.6 and 24th in yards at 330.2.
However, he has overseen the development of quarterback Josh Allen, who has made a leap in his sophomore season. A priority for the Browns will be bringing in a coach who can get quarterback Baker Mayfield — the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 — trending in the right direction. He was expected to thrive under Kitchens, but instead tossed 21 interceptions and couldn’t capitalize on the addition of Odell Beckham Jr. to the offense.
Browns Skewing Offensive With Interviews
GettyJosh McDaniels could leave the Patriots after this season.
The Browns have quickly gone to work on their coaching search and have many of the premier coaching candidates on their wish list. Here are some of the names that have emerged:
- San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh
- Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski
- New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels
- Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman
- Former Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy
- Former Panthers coach Ron Rivera
- Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer
According to odds provided by SportsLine, McCarthy has the best shot of landing the Browns gig. He’s a favorite at +300 ahead of McDaniels (+450).
Who will be the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns?
Mike McCarthy +300
Josh McDaniels +450
Ron Rivera +600
Urban Meyer +800
Kevin Stefanski +1000
Matt Rhule +1500
Via @SportsLine Oddsmakers
McCarthy didn’t coach this season, but it eager to get back into the NFL coaching ranks after spending 2006-18 with Green Bay.
“To do it right and to be in position to win it every year, that’s what I’m looking for,” McCarthy told NFL.com. “So that’s the opportunity, that’s who I want to be paired with. And I’m not trying to just go win one, I’m trying to win them all. And I’ve always taken that approach. That’s always been my outlook. And every decision that’s ever been made towards the football team, it was A, number one, what’s best for the locker room? And it’s about moving that locker room forward, ’cause nothing ever stays the same. You’re either getting better or you’re going the other way. And that’s in life and in football.”
McDaniels is preparing for a playoff game with the Patriots against the Titans on Wild Card weekend. He went 11-17 in two seasons with the Broncos in his head coaching opportunity.
“I’m 100 percent fully invested in getting ready for Tennessee and trying to put our best performance of the season out there on Saturday night,” McDaniels said on a Monday conference call. “We have a lot of work to do. That’s where my focus will be. That’s where it’s at now and it’ll stay there. That’s the best thing for our team. It’s the best thing for me.”
Jarvis Landry Says Browns Need Leadership With New Hire
When Browns Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry was asked about what the Browns needed in their next head coach, he kept it simple.
“Just leadership,” Landry told reporters. “Leadership.”
He expanded: “Everybody in this organization was trying to win; I just didn’t think we knew how to do it.”
The Browns are an attractive opening because they have talented pieces in place on the roster. Landry and Beckham at full-strength can be the most lethal pass-catching combination in the league, Mayfield has a high ceiling when protected and running back Nick Chubb came up just short of a rushing title in his second year.
The same cane be said for the defensive side of the ball, where defensive end Myles Garrett, corners Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams and even linebacker Mack Wilson represent a young core with potential.
“It’s here,” Landry said. “A lot of these guys in this room are talented guys. You’ve created the locker room that maybe you’ve never had before. Now it comes down to everything else. Finding the right coach is a start, and understanding that a lot of this is about players. It’s about the players that you have and the leadership.”
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Surprise Candidate Emerges in Browns Coaching Search