Dawgs By Nature
As the Cleveland Browns start their head coaching search after firing head coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday, many fans and pundits wonder what coach the team should pursue. The head coach candidate pool isn’t as strong as years prior, but with the news that the Baltimore Ravens have parted ways with head coach John Harbaugh, the candidate list has a bit more variety. So far, Cleveland has requested interviews for three outside candidates: Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken (who has coached in Cleveland before), Cincinnati Bengals OC Dan Pitcher, and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde.
The Browns will likely increase their candidate list when playoff teams’ seasons are over, but there are three specific names that the Browns should pursue, in totally different tiers.
Current San Francisco 49ers head coach Robert Saleh received a raw deal the last time he was a head coach. His tenure with the Jets had more lows than highs, but after being fired from the Jets, he chose to head back to the place he was comfortable at in the Bay Area. Saleh looks refreshed, and it appears he’s found his passion again after dealing with uncertainty and turmoil while with the New York Jets. Before the injuries, the 49ers defense was towards the top in most advanced metrics and basic statistics. Saleh’s schemes have evolved; he’s utilizing more man coverage than before, but also using zone coverage as well. The defensive formation won’t change as Saleh still runs a 4-3, but the only issue would be having the secondary adapt to playing zone more than usual. Saleh has received requests from two teams alread,y and it’s likely he will get more requests once the 49ers season is over. It’s possible that Saleh is waiting for the right opportunity to line up for him, as he potentially doesn’t want to deal with a New York Jets situation.
If the Browns ended up with Saleh, it would not be the worst scenario for the team. Cleveland’s defense was elite this season with an overwhelming defensive front led by defensive end Myles Garrett, a stout linebacker room, and a solid secondary. Saleh could take the job, but it’s possible that current defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz could be the odd man out. However, as mentioned earlier, both the Browns and 49ers run the same defense, and whether Schwartz’s mind staying on staff would be an interesting dialogue. Saleh likely learned from his previous time as a head coach with the Jets and if the Browns choose to get him, it would be beneficial for both parties.
One coach that has managed to get involved in head coaching candidate lists every single offseason but never ends up as the head coach is Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Flores is an interesting case. The last time Flores was a...
