With one coach out and another coach eventually in, plenty of rumors will swirl regarding the person who will eventually get the Browns job. Given the presence of quarterback Baker Mayfield, a nucleus of other great young players, extra draft picks for 2019, and lots of cap space to sign veterans, coaches will be lining up for a chance to take the job.
Which will allow G.M. John Dorsey to be very selective when selecting the next coach.
It will be a delicate proposition for Dorsey, who could hire his way into less relevance by pursuing an A-list, type-A candidate who wants to do more than just coach. That could cause Dorsey to target an up-and-coming candidate, like Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who has drawn plenty of praise for his aggressive approach to the Andy Reid offense.
But there could be an opportunity to get an established name, like Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Sure, he jilted the Colts last year, but (as Peter King noted on Tuesday’s PFT Live), McDaniels made a late pre-draft visit with Mayfield, and the Patriots were ready to trade up (within reason) to get him.
McDaniels, who apparently decided in February to stay with the Patriots until Bill Belichick retires, possibly could be lured back to his home state of Ohio by the presence of a 15-year quarterback and a blank-slate legacy that includes an empty trophy case. If Dorsey is interested and McDaniels isn’t, it’s possible that McDaniels will indeed never leave New England.
However it plays out, there will be plenty of coaches plotting a path to Ohio, and the challenge will be to pick the right one.