Browns coach Hue Jackson made his reputation in coaching as an offensive play caller, and he doesn’t want to give that up.
Jackson said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he doesn’t plan to hire an offensive coordinator and will call the Browns’ plays.
“Right now in my mind, I don’t really plan on having an offensive coordinator, because I want to reserve that right to call plays,’' Jackson said, via Cleveland.com. “That’s something that’s gotten me this job, so it’s something that you’re an expert at. You want to continue to work at that and keep that in your pocket so you can use it to help your team.’'
Jackson spent five years as an offensive coordinator in two spots at the college level, and has spent a total of five years as an offensive coordinator for four different NFL teams. So he’s surely up to the task of calling the Browns’ offensive plays.
Still, it’s surprising that Jackson isn’t going to give an assistant the offensive coordinator title. In 2011, when Jackson was head coach of the Raiders, he made Al Saunders his offensive coordinator. Most teams give an assistant the coordinator title even if the head coach is going to call the plays. On a Browns team that is radically changing the structure of its front office this offseason, Jackson is also changing the structure of the coaching staff.