George Paton completed his second interview with the Browns and headed back to Minnesota, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The sides will take time to see if it’s a fit.
The Vikings’ assistant General Manager appears the favorite for the Browns’ General Manager job, though.
Paton spent 13 years with new Browns coach Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota. Stefanski wants Paton “in the worst way,” according to Cabot, but both sides have “some things to work through before they’re ready to make a commitment.”
Paton spent eight hours in the team’s building Wednesday.
The Browns also interviewed Eagles vice president of football operations Andrew Berry, who spent three seasons as the Browns’ vice president of player personnel, and Patriots director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort.
Whomever the Browns hire will have final say over roster decisions, but Paton needs to make sure he’s comfortable working with owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and chief strategy officer Paul DePosta.
The team is hiring a sixth G.M. since the Haslams took ownership in 2012.