After having lined up interviews with several of this year’s “hot” head coaching candidates, the Browns have scheduled a meeting with a lesser-known coach. According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cleveland will interview Cowboys defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson for its head coaching job. Josina Anderson of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that the meeting will take place on Friday.
Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Sean McDermott, Doug Marrone, Paul Guenther, and Matt Patricia, who are all either coming off successful years as coordinators or are former NFL head coaches, reportedly have interviews on tap with the Browns in the coming days. And while one of those assistants, or another well-known candidate, could ultimately land the Cleveland job, the team’s interview with Henderson is another sign that the franchise is thinking outside the box this offseason.
The Browns’ unorthodox approach to putting together a staff was on display on Tuesday, when the club announced it had hired Paul DePodesta away from baseball’s New York Mets to play a key role in the Cleveland front office.
In a piece discussing the DePodesta hiring, Tom Verducci of SI.com suggested that the former MLB executive and the Browns will be targeting a head coach who “may not have much experience but who is comfortable implementing the business practices and systems endorsed if not create by the front office” — perhaps Henderson fits that bill.
Henderson, a former NFL defensive back himself, has coached the Cowboys’ secondary since 2012, when he was hired away from the Browns. While 2015 was a dismal all-around year in Dallas, Henderson’s group wasn’t a disaster – per Football Outsiders, the team ranked 17th in terms of passing defense DVOA.
Be sure to check out our head coaching search tracker for the latest details on the Browns’ hunt for Mike Pettine‘s replacement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Who? But that may be the only person that would take this job.
Lol stupid smh