While the shock waves of the Browns’ latest organizational shift continue to be felt, it’s worth noting immediately that the next set might not necessarily be far away — such that they ever are.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, new Browns General Manager Ray Farmer wasn’t involved in the interviews that resulted in the hiring of new coach Mike Pettine.
In the Browns statement announcing the ouster of CEO Joe Banner and G.M. Mike Lombardi, owner Jimmy Haslam said of Farmer: “He embraces his partnership with Mike Pettine, which is critical in helping build the right team.”
Of course, embracing someone you’re not personally invested in changes the working dynamic considerably.
The easy to reach perception of the mess that is Cleveland is that Banner and Lombardi failed to deliver the guys they thought they could get. From Chip Kelly playing them last offseason, to this year’s inability to land Josh McDaniels (or even get Adam Gase to interview), it’s obvious Banner and Lombardi’s inability to close was a factor in their unemployment.
Now we’ll have to wait and see how warmly Farmer “embraces” Pettine, or whether he’s just keep his hands close enough to his back to shove him out the door in a season or so.