A source with knowledge of the situation tells us that the Browns have approached former Steelers coach Bill Cowher regarding the possibility of becoming the next coach in Cleveland.
Per the source, the Browns are willing to give Cowher a contract worth $8 million to $9 million per year.
Presumably, Cowher’s arrival would occur only if G.M. Phil Savage were fired or significantly marginalized. (Maybe Savage can go work for the Bills — or if all else fails he can root for them.) Cowher would want final say over personnel, and Cowher would want to install one or more of his former Steelers colleagues into key positions.
Likely candidates, if they can finagle a path out of Pittsburgh, would be director of football operations Kevin Colbert and/or director of business operations Omar Khan.
Cowher played for the Browns (i.e., Ravens) from 1980 through 1982, and he served as special teams coach in 1985 and 1986. He was moved to defensive backs coach in 1987, and he remained in that position through 1988.