Earlier today, the Browns surprised the football world when they sacked GM Michael Lombardi in order to promote Ray Farmer to that mantle. Of course, it wasn’t Cleveland’s first major shakeup of the season as they fired first-year coach Rob Chudzinski earlier in the offseason, much to the dismay of many Browns players. It’s not a stretch to imagine that the two are related. The Browns were said to have several coaches on their wishlist ahead of eventual hire Mike Pettine and they whiffed on all of them for one reason or another.
While they’re optimistic about the defensive-minded Pettine and the emergence of star wide receiver Josh Gordon on the other side of the football, the Browns haven’t made the playoffs since 2002 and their winter turmoil is cause for concern. Injured quarterback Brian Hoyer, who has the open support of the newly-crowned HC, doesn’t look like a world-beater and it’s said that the club won’t tab a QB to replace him with the No. 4 overall pick. One thing is for sure – Farmer’s decision to remove himself from consideration for the Dolphins’ GM job in January makes a whole lot more sense now.
Things seem pretty shaky in Cleveland and Browns fans have never been an optimistic bunch, but it’s possible that the readers of Pro Football Rumors will have a rosier view. Take your pick in our poll and weigh in in the comment section.
By getting rid of Banner and Lombardi, the Browns are now moving in the right direction. I for one feel more confident with Ray Farmer as the GM. With as many picks as we have, no one wanted Lombardi and the meddling Banner making the choices. Just wondering who’s going to be brought in to run the team.