After several NFL organizations were frustrated with the direction their team was headed, it didn’t take long for nine teams around the league to move on from their head coach. This immediately sparked a feeding frenzy of interviews, as teams wanted to move quickly to find the perfect candidate moving forward.
The Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants have already made their decisions, hiring Kevin Stefanski and John Harbaugh, respectively, but the other seven vacancies have not been filled. One of those open positions is with the Cleveland Browns, who have conducted several interviews but haven’t made any decisions.
Analyst Zac Jackson talked about this situation on the “Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show,” indicating that the Browns should get decisive soon if they want to make a good first impression on their new coach.
“If you really want Udinski or Scheelhaase or Pitcher because you really believe in those guys, and the goal of this is to find your own McVay or Shanahan, then that’s a fine goal, frankly. If you end up with one of those guys because you got turned down two or three times, or if those are the only guys that would stick with Schwartz or stick with other things you want, then you’ve got bad dynamics from the start,” Jackson said.
There are several exciting candidates for the Browns, including those whom Jackson mentioned: Grant Udinski, Nathan Scheelhaase, and Dan Pitcher. All three of these prospects would come to the Browns from their current coordinator positions, giving them their first opportunity to be head coaches.
Hiring a coordinator over an established head coach can be risky, and it certainly doesn’t always work out, but it is a chance for a team like the Browns to get a new perspective. Plus, if that coach rises to the occasion and takes them far beyond where they’ve been in recent seasons, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.
All three of the aforementioned options (Udinski, Scheelhaase, and Pitcher) could bring a lot of value to the Browns’ organization. They come from well-run teams, and with the Browns facing a lot of dysfunction in recent years, this level of stability is much needed.
If they really like any of these options, they should act quickly rather than continually mulling over their decision. That way, they not only get their top choice in the building, but express confidence that he’s the person they want to move into the future with.
NEXT: Insider Names Potential Replacement If Browns Lose Jim Schwartz
