A day after we heard Hue Jackson wasn’t planning to hire an offensive coordinator to start his Browns regime, the Browns are negotiating with former Colts OC Pep Hamilton, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
Hamilton is in talks to become the Browns’ assistant head coach/offense, basically becoming the top offensive assistant to Jackson in the event these negotiations progress toward Hamilton joining the Browns’ staff.
Jackson, per Cabot will be the Browns’ play-caller this season, just as he was with the Bengals the past two years and with the Raiders, when he coached in Oakland in 2011.
Hamilton, who called plays in Indianapolis before being fired after the Colts started 3-5 this season, met with Jackson on Friday to initially discuss a potential role in Cleveland.
The Browns today informed 2015 offensive coordinator John DeFilippo he would not be back next season. DeFilippo has two years remaining on his contract, which the team will be required to pay out.
Andrew Luck‘s offensive coordinator at Stanford before moving to Indianapolis, Hamilton carried a reputation as a conservative play-caller with the Colts. Hamilton reportedly wasn’t receptive to internal calls to speed up the Colts’ offense this season. An injured Luck helped the Colts regress from third in total offense in Hamilton’s final full season in Indianapolis to 28th this season.
Hamilton previously served as the quarterbacks coach for the Jets, 49ers and Bears from 2004-2009 before spending three seasons in Palo Alto.
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