As I sit here in Nashville, TN. waiting for the AFC Championship game between the Titans and the Chiefs, I am constantly checking twitter for any Browns GM or assistant coaching news. By the way, Titans fans bemoaning the fact that they haven’t been in the playoffs in two years and the Super Bowl in twenty years is really starting to get on my nerves. I had to stop my wife Karen from throwing something at the television this morning. If I hear the phrase “two tone blue” one more time, I may beat her to it. So here’s the latest as I know it, which could change at any moment, the GM search has started and the Browns want to interview three to five candidates. Andrew Berry interviewed this weekend and after that it’s Monti Ossenfort from the Patriots. There were reports that George Paton of the Vikings was asked to interview, but for some reason no time has been set or if he’ll interview at all. Berry, as all Browns fans know, worked under Shasi Brown and one year under John Dorsey. He currently works for the Eagles and they really want to keep him. Ossenfort has been with the Patriots since 2006 and is in charge of college scouting. The Patriots blocked him from interviewing with the Texans in 2018. Paton has just completed his 13th season with the Vikings and considered a rising star. He has turned down interview requests in the past.
I get the feeling that Jimmy Haslam and Paul Depodesta want Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski would like George Paton. This could be the first test of the new head coach’s power within the Browns organization. On the other hand, Stefanski maybe fine with Berry, who knows. One thing I do know, I’m starting to like the new head coach. I watched his press conference and have since listened to him being interviewed on Cleveland radio and came away very impressed. He seems to be a very no nonsense type of a coach, which the Browns really need. As for the coaches currently under contract by the Browns, Stefanski wants to talk to all of them to see who he would like to retain. Consensus among those in the know is that special teams coach Mike Priefer will be retained, which is good thing. Wide receivers coach Adam Henry has left to join the Cowboys and OC Todd Monkin is joining the Georgia Bulldogs. Henry was Beckham and Landry’s coach at LSU, however I’ve heard he’s been a little to chummy with the two, so no great loss. As for Monkin, he got a season of paychecks for basically doing nothing.
The Browns have hired former Miami OC Chad O’Shea as their new wide receivers/passing game coordinator and are interviewing former Denver OC Rich Scangarello. O’Shea worked for the Patriots prior to the Dolphin’s and was fired from the Dolphins because it is believed Miami wants to move away from the “Patriots way” due to the youth on their roster. As for Scangarello, it is believed he will be the next QB coach. He is well versed in the Shanahan run zone blocking scheme. Adam Schefter is reporting the Browns will hire 49ers DB coach Joe Woods as their next DC. If true, this won’t become official until the 49ers lose. Bye bye Steve Wilkes. Woods and Stefanski worked together in Minnesota. Also there might be interest in 49ers run coordinator Mike McDaniels for the Browns OC position, but San Fransico is currently blocking an interview. There are also rumors the Browns are trying to hire someone on offense from the Vikings and are waiting permission to conduct an interview. Again all this information is fluid at this time, so keep an eye on twitter and if you are interested in a great website for Browns news, get a subscription to the Orange and Brown report (@TheOBR), it’s well worth the price.
As for the draft and free agency, my favorite offensive tackle declared for the draft. Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs is perfect for the offense Kevin Stefanski is installing. I would grab him or Mekhi Becton out of Louisville at number 10. As for free agency, the first order of business would be to resign Joe Schobert. Then I would try and sign Titans tackle Jack Conklin, Atlanta’s TE Austin Hooper and Minnesota’s FB C J Hamm and safety Anthony Harris. It will be interesting to watch what happens in Minnesota and Atlanta with the salary cap, both teams are currently over the cap, Minnesota is about 10 million over. As for the Titans, they have to figure out how to sign Ryan Tannyhill and Derick Henry, both are free agents. The Draft Network (thedraftnetwork.com) has a really cool mock draft machine. It will go through the entire draft according to the Browns team needs. Give it a try. . Hoped you enjoyed the games today and GO BROWNS.