Cleveland Browns News & Rumors

Browns Expected To Extend HC Kevin Stefanski, GM Andrew Berry

The Browns dealt with a slew of injuries on offense in particular during the 2023 campaign, but they still managed to qualify for the postseason. In the wake of that performance, continuity on the sidelines and in the front office is expected.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry are each in line for extensions this offseason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes. The pair arrived in Cleveland in 2020 and are under contract through 2024. Their collective showings would make it little surprise if ownership signed off on a new set of deals in the near future.

Cleveland ended a lengthy playoff drought and advanced to the divisional round in Stefanski’s first campaign at the helm. He earned Coach of the Year honors that season, but the team’s record dropped to 8-9 and then 7-10 in subsequent years. Amidst whispers in some circles about he and/or Berry being on the hot seat, things did not go as planned with running back Nick Chubb suffering a season-ending injury in 2023. The same was later true of quarterback Deshaun Watson, leading the Browns to rely on Joe Flacco under center down the stretch.

The latter won Comeback Player of the Year for his showings after arriving as a free agent midseason, which has helped his value considerably. The Browns are interested in retaining the former Super Bowl MVP despite having Watson atop the depth chart. Stability at the QB spot in 2024 would be a welcomed development as the team looks to build off a record of 11-6.

Stefanski earned his second Coach of the Year award as a result of the Browns’ ability to reach the playoffs despite their injury woes. Watson’s ailment marked another underwhelming development in his Cleveland tenure, which of course has been the defining aspect of Berry’s time with the franchise. The Browns sent Houston a package including three first-round picks to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler, something which was contingent on a fully-guaranteed five-year, $230MM contract. Watson’s suspension to open the 2022 season, his elbow injury this year and less-than-spectacular play in between led some to believe a change could be made in the organization.

However, a December report pointed to the Stefanski-Berry partnership likely being safe moving forward. This latest update confirms that sentiment, and Cleveland will be set up for stability if extensions are indeed worked out in the coming months. Both will have notable leverage in negotiations given the team’s performance this season as they aim to take a step forward in 2024 and beyond.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

With Super Bowl LVIII in the books, the 2023 campaign has come to a close. Teams outside Kansas City and San Francisco had already turned their attention to the offseason well before Sunday’s game, of course.

Regular season standings determine the order for the top 18 picks, so they have been known since the conclusion of Week 18. For the second straight year, the Bears face the question of dealing away the top selection and starting over at quarterback or re-committing to Justin Fields. Expectations still point toward Caleb Williams heading to Chicago, although the Bears will not move the No. 1 pick at a discounted price.

With the Commanders also in position to add a signal-caller second overall, the Patriots and Cardinals will be worth watching closely. New England will be in the market for a QB, but it may not come via the team’s top selection. Arizona’s position could also be a trade-up target for teams seeking a quarterback addition. This year’s class is expected to be dominated by blue-chip prospects under center, as well as at wide receiver and offensive tackle.

The final 14 spots in the draft order are filled by postseason results. The Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory picking at or near the end of the first-round order for the fourth time in the past five years following another Super Bowl appearance. The team has a mixed track record with its selections in that regard, but another impact rookie would of course help its bid to sustain its impressive run.

While a number of selections will no doubt be swapped between now and draft day, here is the full 2024 first-round order:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-13
  3. New England Patriots: 4-13
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
  6. New York Giants: 6-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Chicago Bears: 7-10
  10. New York Jets: 7-10
  11. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
  12. Denver Broncos: 8-9
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
  14. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  15. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
  16. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
  19. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
  21. Miami Dolphins: 11-6
  22. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
  23. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  24. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  25. Green Bay Packers: 9-8
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
  27. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  28. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  29. Detroit Lions: 12-5
  30. Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
  32. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6

AFC Coaching Notes: Dickerson, Browns, Bills, Addae, Day, Chargers, Dolphins, Colts

The Browns allowed Bill Callahan out of his $3MM-plus contract to join son Brian in Tennessee. Given Bill Callahan’s status as one of the NFL’s best O-line coaches, this left a void on Cleveland’s staff. The team will fill it with one of the candidates it interviewed for its OC post. Seahawks O-line coach Andy Dickerson will take the same position with the Browns, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Set to work under Ken Dorsey, Dickerson was one of the ex-Sean McVay staffers who followed Shane Waldron to Seattle. The Seahawks promoted Dickerson to their O-line coach in 2022. Upon removing Pete Carroll from his longtime HC post, the Seahawks let their assistants speak with other teams. Additionally, the Browns are adding Roy Istvan as their assistant O-line coach, per the Associated Press’ Tom Withers. Istvan was most recently the Eagles’ assistant O-line coach under acclaimed staffer Jeff Stoutland; Istvan had been in that role for five seasons.

Here is the latest from the AFC coaching ranks:

  • Recently retired safety Jahleel Addae will return to the NFL as a coach. The former Chargers starter will join the Bills as their cornerbacks coach, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel tweets. Addae, 34, had been on the Miami Hurricanes’ staff. Addae started 63 games during his nine-year career, with most of the starts coming as a Charger.
  • The Bills are not bringing back DBs coach John Butler, Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News tweets. Butler had been Buffalo’s DBs coach since 2018. With the Bills moving Bobby Babich to DC, some changes are being made. Another will be the hire of Matt Edwards as assistant D-line coach. The team recently bumped up Marcus West to D-line coach, replacing the departed Eric Washington. Edwards previously worked as a Raiders defensive assistant, concentrating on the team’s pass rush.
  • Shane Day is coming back to Los Angeles. Spending two seasons as the Chargers‘ QBs coach under Joe Lombardi, Day was with the Texans as a senior offensive assistant. Jim Harbaugh will bring Day back to the Bolts as their QBs coach, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Justin Herbert became the AFC’s Pro Bowl starter under Day in 2021, and Garafolo adds the star QB enjoyed working with Day. Though, Brandon Staley fired both Lombardi and Day following the Bolts’ wild-card collapse in Jacksonville. The veteran assistant was with the 49ers on two separate occasions, though neither was during Harbaugh’s San Francisco run.
  • The Chargers are also hiring Sanjay Lal as their wide receivers coach, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Lal has been coaching wide receivers in the NFL since the late 2000s. One of those tenures — 2015-16 with the Bills — overlapped with new Bolts OC Greg Roman. Lal was most recently the pass-game coordinator and WRs coach with the Seahawks.
  • Recent Titans assistant Ryan Crow will move to Miami. The Dolphins are hiring Crow as their outside linebackers coach, Breer adds. The Vikings, Seahawks and Giants showed interest as well, per Breer. The Browns also interviewed Crow last month, but he will instead work with the likes of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips in Miami. Crow’s former boss, Shane Bowen, is now in New York, explaining the Giants’ interest. Crow will replace Ryan Slowik, who interviewed for the DC job that went to Anthony Weaver. But Slowik is set to stay with the Dolphins in a different capacity, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. The older brother of Texans OC Bobby Slowik, Ryan has been an NFL assistant for more than 15 years. Although Mike McDaniel hired him in 2022, the two were low-level staffers in Denver in 2005.
  • The Colts found their next D-line coach at the college level. Charlie Partridge, who spent the past seven seasons as Pitt’s D-line coach, will take the same position under Shane Steichen in Indianapolis, Fox59’s Mike Chappell notes. The former Florida Atlantic HC, Partridge has never coached in the NFL previously, spending more than 25 years in the college ranks. Partridge coached recent first-round pick Calijah Kancey at Pitt and was J.J. Watt‘s position coach at Wisconsin.

Brian Belichick To Stay With Patriots; Team To Hire T.C. McCartney

While a coordinator opportunity lured Steve Belichick to the college ranks for the first time, the Patriots will not lose all the Belichicks from their staff. Brian Belichick will stay with the team, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes.

The team moved on from six-time Super Bowl-winning HC Bill Belichick days after the season, but successor Jerod Mayo extended an offer for both of Belichick’s sons to stay on. Steve is now officially in place as the DC at the University of Washington, but Brian will continue with the Patriots.

[RELATED: Eliot Wolf Expected To Control Patriots’ Roster]

Brian Belichick has worked as the Pats’ safeties coach since 2020. This marked his first gig coaching a position under his father, who brought him aboard in 2016 as a scouting assistant. Steve had been with the team 12 years, moving from safeties coach — making a place for Brian — to outside linebackers assistant.

Additionally, the Patriots are set to hire T.C. McCartney as their next QBs coach, Reiss adds. Fired from the Browns on the same day the team axed Alex Van Pelt, McCartney will rejoin his previous boss in Foxborough. The Patriots named Van Pelt their new play-caller last week. McCartney, 34, spent the past two seasons as the Browns’ tight ends coach but has a past in charge of QBs. In 2019, McCartney served as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach. The team moved on after one season, leading McCartney to Cleveland as an offensive assistant. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported Wednesday a McCartney hire was close.

The Patriots are also hiring Browns assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters as their offensive line coach, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds. Peters will serve as the team’s next O-line coach, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan. This will strip the Browns of their top two O-line coaches, with Peters’ exit coming days after the team allowed well-regarded O-line coach Bill Callahan to join son Brian on the Titans’ staff. A two-time jiu jitsu world champion, Peters saw brief NFL action in 2003 before spending time on practice squads. Peters was part of Kevin Stefanski‘s initial Browns staff back in 2020.

As the Browns transition to OC Ken Dorsey, they are starting over at most of their offensive staff positions. Firing Van Pelt, McCartney and running backs coach Stump Mitchell, Cleveland will also lose its O-line contingent.

Titans To Hire Bill Callahan As O-Line Coach

The Titans’ decision to hire Brian Callahan naturally put one of this era’s best offensive line coaches in play to trek to Nashville. That will now come to fruition.

Brian Callahan will add his father, Bill, to his first Titans staff, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports. The Titans requested permission for a Callahan-Callahan meeting about the job, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. As strange as that sentence looks, the Browns could have blocked this partnership from taking place; they are not expected to do so.

[RELATED: Titans To Hire Nick Holz As OC]

Naturally one of the more interesting position coach hires in recent years, Bill Callahan leaving for Tennessee would stand to bring an upgrade for Ran Carthon‘s team. Pro Football Focus ranked the Titans’ O-line last in 2023. This came after an offseason overhaul removed veterans from the equation. Left tackle Andre Dillard struggled, and PFF did not view ex-49ers starter/swingman Daniel Brunskill as effective at right guard. The Titans are expected to release Dillard soon, while other changes are likely on tap. Callahan will take over the mentorship of 2023 first-rounder Peter Skoronski, who is on the radar to move to left tackle this offseason.

The former Raiders HC has settled back in as an NFL O-line coach following his dismissal as Nebraska’s HC in the 2000s. Callahan was in place with the Cowboys in 2014, as the team added Zack Martin to its impact collection of young talent — a group that included Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Ronald Leary. Bill Callahan spent the past four seasons in Cleveland, and the Browns have rolled out one of the NFL’s best O-lines in that span.

Ex-Bills draftee Wyatt Teller morphed into a Pro Bowler in Cleveland, while perennial Pro Bowler Joel Bitonio added two first-team All-Pro distinctions under the elder Callahan. Even as injuries battered the team’s tackles, the Browns were able to provide enough protection for November pickup Joe Flacco to salvage a playoff run.

Callahan, 67, canceled an interview for the Jets’ OC job last year upon signing a Browns extension. That deal is believed to have paid him more than $3MM per year, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. That is a lofty salary for a position coach, illustrating Callahan’s value to the Browns. It is worth wondering if he will accept a pay cut to join his son. The Callahans have not previously been on the same NFL staff, setting up an interesting chapter.

Additionally, the Titans are bringing in veteran wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, according to NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Tolbert coached alongside Brian Callahan in Denver during the 2010s. Both were on Denver’s staff from 2011-15, with Tolbert overseeing the development of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Emmanuel Sanders during that span. Tolbert, 56, spent the past two seasons with the Bears in the same position. Making changes to their offensive staff, the Bears fired Tolbert last month.

As they make changes to start Brian Callahan’s run, the Titans are moving on from outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow and inside linebackers coach Bobby King, according to veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. Crow spent six seasons with the team under Mike Vrabel; King was in Tennessee over the past three years.

Six-year Titans defensive line coach Terrell Williams is out as well, but The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes he has already found a new gig. The Lions are hiring Williams as their run-game coordinator on defense. An NFL assistant since 2012, Williams was on the Dolphins’ staff during Dan Campbell‘s 2015 season spent mostly as Miami’s interim HC.

Titans Interview Brandon Lynch For DC; Team Retaining Shane Bowen During Search

After the Browns put together a quality defensive season, one of their assistants is on the coordinator radar. Brandon Lynch is the first of Jim Schwartz‘s assistants to land such a meeting.

The four-year Browns assistant met with the Titans on Tuesday, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Brown spent the 2023 season as Cleveland’s cornerbacks coach. The 41-year-old assistant spent most of the 2010s in the college ranks, but new Tennessee HC Brian Callahan certainly has observed Lynch’s work in recent years.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Callahan’s Bengals wideouts tussled with the Browns’ corners twice a year. The Browns initially hired Lynch to be their assistant DBs coach under Joe Woods in 2020; despite the DC changeover last year, the team retained Lynch. Denzel Ward earned his second Pro Bowl nod, and the Browns ranked first in pass defense. The Browns hired Lynch after he spent time coaching DBs at Northern Iowa and East Carolina during the 2010s.

Lynch and Ravens assistant Dennard Wilson are the only candidates for the Titans’ DC job so far. While it would certainly appear incumbent Shane Bowen is on his way out, veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky notes the team is retaining its current DC while it assesses outside options. Bowen, 37, worked as Tennessee’s DC for the past three seasons. He has interviewed with the Giants and Jaguars this far. The New York job remains open, but the Jacksonville position went to Ryan Nielsen.

It would surprise if the Titans retained Bowen, who was with the team throughout Mike Vrabel‘s tenure. Bowen began his Titans run as their outside linebackers coach under Dean Pees from 2018-20. The Titans ranked in the top half throughout Bowen’s tenure, checking in 16th in scoring defense this season. As Bowen waits, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds pass-game analyst Pat O’Hara will not be retained. O’Hara joined Bowen in being on all six Vrabel-led staffs. O’Hara, 55, also coached with Vrabel in Houston.

Coaching/Front Office Notes: Eagles, Bears, Jets, Browns

Clint Hurtt is heading to Philadelphia. After having spent the past two seasons as the Seahawks defensive coordinator, the veteran coach is joining the Eagles as their new defensive line coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Hurtt worked with defensive linemen and linebackers in Chicago before joining the Seahawks as their assistant head coach/defensive line coach in 2017. He earned a promotion to defensive coordinator in 2022 and spent two seasons in that role. Seattle’s defense didn’t fare all that well with Hurtt at the helm, as the defense never finished better than 26th in points allowed and 20th in yards allowed.

Still, Hurtt has earned a reputation as a reliable DL coach. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Hurtt had multiple offers to coach defensive linemen, but he ended up opting for the Eagles opportunity.

Pelissero notes that the Eagles are also expected to hire one of Hurtt’s assistants from Seattle. Karl Scott is joining the Eagles as their new DBs coach. Scott spent the past two seasons as Seattle’s secondary coach/passing game coordinator.

More coaching and front office notes from around the NFL…

  • The Bears will interview Chargers wide receivers coach Chris Beatty for the same role, according to Pelissero. Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that veteran coach Ike Hilliard will also interview for the Chargers job. After a long college coaching career, Beatty took his first NFL job with the Chargers in 2021 as their WRs coach. Over the past few years, he’s helped guide the likes of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to 1,000-yard seasons. Hilliard has spent time as the WRs coach with Washington, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh, and he was most recently on the coaching staff at Auburn. Hilliard worked alongside offensive coordinator Shane Waldron when the two were in Washington.
  • The Jets are hiring Tony Dews as their running backs coach, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Dews was Derrick Henry‘s coach in Tennessee between 2018 and 2022, and he spent the 2023 campaign as the Titans tight ends coach. He’ll be replacing Taylor Embree, who was let go after the season. Meanwhile, Connor Hughes of SNYtv reports that the Jets interviewed Rob Moore for their WRs coach job. Moore also recently worked for the Titans, spending the past six years as their receivers coach.
  • The Browns have hired Jacques Cesaire as their defensive line coach, per Pelissero. After playing his entire career with the Chargers, Cesaire broke into the NFL coaching ranks as the Bills assistant defensive line coach in 2020. He spent the past two seasons with the Texans, serving as the team’s defensive line coach. He’ll be replacing Ben Bloom, although Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes that the coach could still stick in Cleveland in a different role for the 2024 campaign.
  • Saints college scouting director Cody Rager is heading to the Broncos, according to Nick Underhill of NOF Network. Neil Stratton passes along that Rager will be Denver’s new vice president of player personnel. Rager spent the past nine seasons in New Orleans, including the past three as the assistant college scouting director. Rager got his NFL start with the Dolphins back in 2012.

Browns Hire Ken Dorsey As OC

Coordinator dominoes continue to fall around the league. The Browns are set to hire Ken Dorsey as their new OC, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Dorsey began his pro coaching career with the Panthers in 2013, but his first coordinator gig came about during his four-plus years on the Bills’ staff. From 2019-21, he served as Buffalo’s quarterbacks coach, taking over from Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator ahead of last season. Things did not go according to plan during the 2023 campaign, however.

Under Dorsey, the Bills finished second in the league in both total and scoring offense in 2022. Expectations were thus high for the unit heading into this season, but a regression marked by inconsistency was experienced. Despite the fact the team sat in the top 10 in points and yards at the time, Dorsey was fired in November and replaced internally by Joe Brady. The latter has since taken on the full-time gig in Buffalo.

In spite of his recent ouster, Dorsey drew immediate interest as a coordinator candidate. He met with the Browns one week ago; an interview with the Buccaneers was also on the books. Instead of speaking with Tampa Bay, Dorsey has elected to join a Cleveland staff which underwent notable changes on the offensive side of the ball following the team’s wild-card elimination.

OC Alex Van Pelt was among the personnel let go in a bid by head coach Kevin Stefanski to spark improvement in production. Van Pelt had been in place for four years (in a non-play-calling capacity), and Stefanski will likely continue to orchestrate the unit on gamedays. Cleveland finished 10th in scoring this season despite a rash of injuries across the board, but an uptick in passing efficiency will be a target moving forward.

Of course, much will depend on the health and play of quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2024 and beyond. Three more years remain on his fully-guaranteed, $230MM deal, and a restructure will be needed to avoid him carrying a cap hit of nearly $64MM next season. Dorsey’s ability to work with Watson and Co. along with Stefanski will be a key factor in Cleveland’s ability to return to the postseason in 2024.

Several offensive coordinator openings remain around the league, but to no surprise this weekend has seen a number of developments on that front. Dorsey marks another candidate off the market for prospective employers, and the Buccaneers (along with any other teams which had him on their radar) will now need to move in a different direction. The Browns, meanwhile, have filled a signficant vacancy on their staff.

Browns, Saints To Interview Brian Johnson For OC

JANUARY 26: Johnson has met with the Browns, but he has generated further interest. The Saints will speak with him on Monday, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. New Orleans has cast a wide net in searching for a Pete Carmichael replacement. The longtime OC held play-calling responsibilities after Sean Payton‘s departure, making the Saints’ vacancy an important one as the team looks for more consistency on offense compared to 2023.

JANUARY 25: Cleveland’s ongoing search for a new offensive coordinator will include interest in ex-Eagles OC Brian Johnson. The Browns will interview Johnson today, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.

The Eagles, as expected, have moved on from Sean Desai as well as Johnson as part of their staff overhaul. The latter was in place as Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach for two years before ex-OC Shane Steichen departed to take the Colts’ head coaching position. To fill the vacancy, Johnson was promoted in a move which came as little surprise.

After a strong start, the Eagles suffered a notable regression down the stretch and into the postseason. While struggles on defense were more prevalent, Philadelphia’s offense also took a step back and reports of a rift on that side of the ball emerged before the team’s wild-card loss. After only one season at the helm – during which the Eagles ranked seventh in scoring and eighth in yards – Johnson was let go.

Before that move became official, the 36-year-old interviewed with both the Falcons and Titans for their respective head coaching vacancies. Indeed, a recent report pointed to Johnson being a candidate to land in a new posting relatively soon, although questions remained about what position he could take on. Today’s meeting with Cleveland will be his first interview since his Eagles tenure came to an end.

The Browns dismissed OC Alex Van Pelt among other staffers in a bid to improve on offense in 2024 and beyond. Cleveland finished mid-pack in both passing and rushing yards per game this season, one in which the team’s offense was ravaged by injuries. The new OC’s ability to work with quarterback Deshaun Watson will be a critical factor for the Browns, given Watson’s status as the starter through at least the remainder of his fully-guaranteed contract. Cleveland has exclusively looked outside the organization to date with respect to OC candidates.

Here is an updated look at the Browns’ search:

  • Andy Dickerson, offensive line coach (Seahawks): To interview
  • Ken Dorsey, former offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, former offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/25
  • Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/23

Browns, Eagles Request OC Interviews With Chargers’ Kellen Moore

With Jim Harbaugh now in place as head coach of the Chargers, the team’s coordinator positions could soon be subject to changes. OC Kellen Moore faces an uncertain future, but he is drawing outside interest.

Both the Browns and Eagles have requested an interview with Moore for their respective OC openings, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. It will be interesting to see how willing the Chargers are to let Moore depart in a lateral move given Harbaugh’s arrival. Greg Roman – who has a long-standing relationship with the latter – has already been floated as a name to watch for Los Angeles’ new staff.

Cleveland moved on from Alex Van Pelt, one of the league’s OCs who did not hold play-calling responsibilities. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has called plays since his arrival with the Browns, but he would likely need to hand the reins over to Moore if an agreement were to be struck. It is already known, on the other hand, that the Eagles’ next OC will call plays and hold a degree of independence from head coach Nick Sirianni. Moore will meet with Philadelphia today, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Moore began his NFL coaching career in 2018 as QBs coach of the Cowboys. After just one season in that capacity, he was promoted to OC and had a four-year run in charge of Dallas’ offense. Over that span, the Cowboys led the league in scoring twice and ranked top-10 in both rushing and passing production three separate times. Head coach Mike McCarthy elected to move on last offseason, however, taking over play-calling duties himself.

As a result, Moore took on the OC position with the Chargers, something which came with substantial expectations given his stock and the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert. The latter missed the end of the season due to injury, but even when healthy he and the offense put up middling numbers. Moore interviewed once for L.A.’s head coaching vacancy, but it came as little surprise that he did not receive serious consideration for the position.

The 34-year-old’s time in Dallas generated a reputation for him as one of the league’s top offensive minds, and this year’s underwhelming performance will likely not do much to dissuade interested teams from at least speaking to him. Moore’s name will be worth watching closely on the coordinator market if Harbaugh follows through with bringing in his own staffers.