Following their Thursday interview with Mike McCarthy, Browns brass will head to Santa Clara, Calif., to meet with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link).
Saleh’s interview has now been scheduled for Saturday. The third-year San Francisco DC has never interviewed for a head coaching post and is thus far not connected to the other two coaching vacancies. However, one way the Browns may be considering going is a staff featuring multiple 49ers assistants.
Cleveland is also interested in 49ers offensive assistants Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur, each a Kyle Shanahan lieutenant at multiple stops. Saleh appears to be the San Francisco candidate the Browns are zeroing in on, but if the team hires the fiery DC, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets that either LaFleur or McDaniel would then be a candidate to become the Browns’ offensive coordinator. HC interviews with McDaniel and LaFleur are believed to be on the docket, though it’s not known yet when they will occur.
Both were with Shanahan in Cleveland in 2014. Shanahan spent one season as the Browns’ OC and since took LaFleur and McDaniel to Atlanta and San Francisco. They serve as the 49ers’ pass- and run-game coordinators, respectively.
Shanahan blocked Mike LaFleur from joining brother Matt in Green Bay last year but let assistant Rich Scangarello defect to Denver because the Broncos were offering play-calling responsibilities. With Saleh being a defensive-minded coach, the Browns would then hand over their play-calling reins to whomever they hire as OC.
Should of just hired Kyle Shanahan back in 2014
He would be gone by now
Kyle actually worked for the Browns, but was so disgusted by ownership, he demanded and was granted a release from his contract as an assistant.
Ahhhh the Browns.
My preference leans toward the next head coach not being an OC. Mayfield is a mess right now, and he’s gonna need extra guidance that can be provided by an OC-only type.
Add in having Chubb, Landry, etc, and a top OC can wreak havoc with the current offense……if they can acquire quality bookend tackles.
Those are great points.
So then why is your preference not an OC for the next coach.
See:
1) Hue Jackson
2) Freddie Kitchens
Does that help?
From what I’ve heard, Saleh is a good motivator and guys play hard for him. But I can’t help but to think that the bottom line results of the 49ers’ defense are more a product of the incredible talent they have than anything he’s done.
A good HC should be able to motivate his team to play hard for him so he sounds good
If that’s all that being a head coach is, then Gregg Williams should have been a great one
Gregg Williams is a great motivator. He went too far with bounty gate but he’s an old school ruthless defensive coach. Buddy Ryan type without a doubt.
Greg Williams is a thug and should never have been allowed back in the league after Bountygate. Not sure many owners want this kind of guy as the face of the franchise.
What was the Browns record last year with Williams as head coach? You just made your point.
The players didn’t like playing for him
Niners defense hasn’t been making the necessary adjustments late in close games recently. Salah has been calling prevent defences and the opposition (Falcons/Seahawks) just break off 10 yards at will and march down the field.
Those are great points.
Saleh would have to change his composure to be a head coach. You dont see any HC in the leauge celebrating like he does.
None that I know of, either.
– Pete Carroll
Who cares, hahaha.
Hey Cleveland! Hire a GM first and then a HC. This is not that hard to figure out.
Paul DePodesta is running the coaching search, so the plan seems to be hiring a coach and GM that are both on board with the analytics. It’s also possible that they just promote Wolf.
Tell that to the Redskins than. They did the opposite of what you want for the browns