HEADLINES

Cleveland Browns News & Rumors

Coaching Notes: Burke, Bolts, Wendell, Jags

February 11th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the early days of the Cardinals‘ search for their next head coach, it was uncertain which assistants would be back. That still may be the case. But the Browns sought to hire one of the Cards’ assistants in January. Cleveland hiring Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator prompted an interview request for Arizona defensive line coach Matt Burke, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). Burke had been the Lions’ linebackers coach throughout Schwartz’s time as Detroit’s HC, and the Browns wanted to reunite the veteran assistant with their new DC. But the Cardinals blocked the move, Breer adds.

This ended up working out well for Burke. Weeks later, the Texans filling their head coaching post led to DeMeco Ryans bringing him in for a defensive coordinator interview. Burke is now Houston’s DC, and he may be in position to call plays. Teams cannot block position coaches from interviewing for coordinator jobs any longer. The Cardinals’ HC hire will not come to pass until at least next week. Then, Arizona’s staff will start to take shape. Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Former Patriots offensive lineman Ryan Wendell will receive his first chance as an offensive line coach. The Rams are hiring him to lead their O-line, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. Wendell, 36, spent the past four seasons with the Bills — the past three as their assistant O-line coach. Wendell played eight seasons with the Patriots, three as a regular starter, and was the team’s starting right guard during its Super Bowl XLIX-winning season in 2014. After beginning his coaching run in Buffalo, Wendell will take over a Rams O-line that struggled consistently last season.
  • The Chargers are in the process of filling out Kellen Moore‘s new offensive staff. They interviewed Raiders offensive assistant Fred Walker for their quarterbacks coach position, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. One of Josh McDaniels‘ hires last year, Walker came to Las Vegas after a run on Duke’s staff under David Cutcliffe. The first of those years, back in 2018, featured Walker working as Daniel Jones‘ QBs coach.
  • Former Browns defensive backs coach Jeff Howard had multiple options to continue his career. He received offers from both the Chargers and Panthers, according to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, who notes Howard chose the Bolts (Twitter link). Howard, an NFL assistant for the past 10 seasons, will be the Chargers’ next linebackers coach. The 40-year-old staffer spent seven years as a Vikings assistant before taking the Browns’ DBs job in 2020.
  • In addition to Wendell, the Bills will lose another assistant. Buffalo wide receivers coach Chad Hall will leave to take the same position with the Jaguars, Pelissero notes (via Twitter). Hall, 36, had spent the past four seasons as the Bills’ wideouts coach and had been with the team since Sean McDermott arrived in 2017. Hall’s contract had expired. An NFL receiver from 2010-14, Hall’s last stop came with the Jaguars. He also began his career with the Eagles, when current Jags HC Doug Pederson was on staff.
  • Sean Payton had eyed Dan Roushar, a longtime Saints assistant, for a spot on his Broncos staff. But the veteran assistant will instead stay in Louisiana. Roushar, whom the Saints dismissed last month, is expected to land on Tulane’s staff, Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com tweets. Payton lured Roushar out of the college ranks in 2013, and he spent 10 seasons with the Saints coaching multiple positions. Payton will undoubtedly add some of his former Saints coworkers to his Broncos staff — Ronald Curry has interviewed for Denver’s OC job — but Roushar will return to the college game.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 2nd, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:

  1. Chicago Bears: $90.91MM
  2. Atlanta Falcons: $56.42MM
  3. New York Giants: $44.28MM
  4. Houston Texans: $37.56MM
  5. Cincinnati Bengals: $35.55MM
  6. New England Patriots: $32.71MM
  7. Seattle Seahawks: $31.04MM
  8. Baltimore Ravens: $26.87MM
  9. Las Vegas Raiders: $19.78MM
  10. Arizona Cardinals: $14.47MM
  11. Kansas City Chiefs: $13.96MM
  12. Detroit Lions: $13.83MM
  13. Indianapolis Colts: $12.59MM
  14. Denver Broncos: $9.07MM
  15. San Francisco 49ers: $8.28MM
  16. Washington Commanders: $8.24MM
  17. Philadelphia Eagles: $4.24MM
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers: $1.03MM
  19. New York Jets: $1.31MM over the cap
  20. Dallas Cowboys: $7.18MM over
  21. Carolina Panthers: $8.94MM over
  22. Los Angeles Rams: $14.19MM over
  23. Cleveland Browns: $14.64MM over
  24. Miami Dolphins: $16.45MM over
  25. Green Bay Packers: $16.48MM over
  26. Buffalo Bills: $17.88MM over
  27. Los Angeles Chargers: $20.38MM over
  28. Jacksonville Jaguars: $22.35MM over
  29. Minnesota Vikings: $23.43MM over
  30. Tennessee Titans: $23.67MM over
  31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $55.03MM over
  32. New Orleans Saints: $60.47MM over

These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.

While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.

The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.

The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).

Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.

Coaching Rumors: Payton, Flores, Evero

January 26th, 2023 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

By far the biggest name on this year’s coaching carousel, Sean Payton looks to have seen his momentum stall a bit. While Payton is interviewing with the Cardinals today, his candidacy has not produced a second interview anywhere yet. The Panthers met with Payton this week but just hired Frank Reich. While the Texans remain on the radar for the longtime Saints HC, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com does not get the sense much momentum is present for such a partnership. The Broncos have been connected to other names recently as well, but that path may be dwindling as well. There might not be a place for Payton — as odd as that sounds, given his track record — on this year’s market, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com offers (video link)

Trade compensation being required to land the Super Bowl XLIV-winning HC, with the price varying from a first-rounder and other early picks to two first-rounders, has affected teams’ plans here. Payton, 59, has also been mentioned as waffling on this year’s lot of jobs. Returning to FOX for another year and surveying the 2024 market, when two jobs he has long been connected to (Chargers, Cowboys), could be available might be what comes out of this run of interviews. Payton remains in this year’s mix, but buzz has died down.

Here is the latest from the coaching landscape:

  • Regarding the Cardinals‘ search, Brian Flores remains firmly in the mix. GM candidates received the impression Arizona is high on the three-year Miami HC-turned-Pittsburgh linebackers coach, Fowler notes. Previously mentioned as a frontrunner — due partially to the Cards hiring ex-Patriots exec Monti Ossenfort as GM — Flores may have a right-hand man on defense lined up. Some around the league expect the ex-Dolphins HC to bring Gerald Alexander, Miami’s defensive backs coach for the past three years, with him to Arizona, per Fowler. With the Dolphins looking for a new DC, Alexander may be on the move anyway. While ESPN colleague Dan Graziano points to Vance Joseph and Aaron Glenn remaining strong candidates, Flores has generated the most buzz to this point. Flores has also interviewed for the Falcons and Vikings’ DC posts.
  • Raheem Morris booked a second HC interview with the Colts and also met with the Broncos and Texans. Should the Rams‘ DC land a second HC opportunity, Albert Breer of SI.com notes Ejiro Evero is the team’s top candidate to replace him. The Denver DC is no lock to be available. He is under contract with the Broncos, who blocked a Falcons DC interview, and has gone through second HC interviews with the Colts and Texans. Denver could pass on retaining Evero by hiring a defensive-minded coach, of course. Evero came to Denver from Los Angeles; he spent five years on Sean McVay‘s staff.
  • The Browns considered bringing in Vic Fangio for a DC interview, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes, but they stood down and ended up hiring Jim Schwartz. Cleveland having run a 4-3 defense in recent years may have been a reason for passing on a Fangio meeting, Cabot offers. Fangio has remained quite popular still, having interviewed for three DC jobs — the Dolphins, Falcons and Panthers — already.
  • The Bills are making a change to their defensive staff. They fired safeties coach Jim Salgado, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com tweets. Salgado had been on McDermott’s staff throughout the head coach’s six-season tenure.
  • Giants DC Don Martindale is attached to a three-year contract, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Giants thought enough of the veteran coordinator, whom the Ravens did not bring back last year, they gave him the three-year deal as opposed to the more common two-year pact. Giants ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey also received extensive interest from other teams, with Duggan adding the Chargers joined the Panthers in offering him their ST coordinator jobs. McGaughey, who has been with the Giants since 2018, turned down a Bears interview and opted to stay and work for Brian Daboll.

Ravens Request OC Interview With Chad O’Shea

January 21st, 2023 at 11:07am CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens’ search for a new offensive coordinator has led them to a division foe. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter), the Ravens have requested permission to interview Browns wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea for their OC vacancy.

[RELATED: Ravens, OC Greg Roman To Part Ways]

O’Shea spent time with the Chiefs and Vikings before a long stint with the Patriots. During his decade as New England’s wide receivers coach, the Patriots won three rings. He joined Brian Flores in Miami as the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator in 2019, but he only lasted a year before earning his walking papers. The 50-year-old has spent the past three years as the Browns wide receivers coach.

The Ravens parted ways with Greg Roman earlier this week, opening up a major hole on the coaching staff. We’ve since learned that Rams passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson is a candidate for the position, and more names will surely join the fray in the coming days. We also heard the other day that quarterback Lamar Jackson would play a role in the hiring of a new offensive coordinator.

While speaking to reporters earlier this week, Ravens coach John Harbaugh expressed his belief that Baltimore’s OC gig will be a highly sought-after job.

“This is going to be a highly sought-after job; this is one of the top football coaching jobs in the world,” Harbaugh said (via Cabot). “Everybody’s going to want this job. So, I’m looking forward to getting started, and it won’t just be me; it’ll be other coaches and scouts involved in it. We’re going to cast a wide net, and we’re going to look far and wide and close. We’ll get the best fit for what we’re trying to accomplish, and it’s going to be a highly-qualified candidate.”

Jets Interview Chad O’Shea For OC; Frank Reich On Radar?

January 20th, 2023 at 4:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets continued their search for Mike LaFleur‘s replacement on Friday. The team completed an interview with Browns wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea for their vacant offensive coordinator position, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Browns’ Bill Callahan No Longer A Jets OC Candidate]

O’Shea, 50, has nearly 20 years of experience as an NFL staffer. Most of that has come working with wideouts as a positional coach, including a 10-year stint spent in New England in that capacity. That tenure was immediately followed by a single season in Miami as their offensive coordinator in 2019.

Under O’Shea that year, the Dolphins failed to put up impressive numbers on offense. The team ranked 27th in the league in yards and 25th in scoring, and finished with the worst rushing attack in the NFL. While a distinct lack of talent played a significant role in those struggles, it nevertheless came as little surprise when he was fired by then-head coach (and fellow Patriots alum) Brian Flores at the end of the campaign.

O’Shea has spent the past three years coaching the Browns’ wideouts while also holding the title of passing game coordinator. The position has not seen much in the way of production over that span, as Cleveland ranked 27th in 2020 and 2021 in terms of passing yards, improving only to 23rd this past season. A number of factors have limited the team’s efficiency through the air, from quarterback play to a lack of consistent pass-catchers aside from Amari Cooper. Still, O’Shea is a candidate for a second OC gig with what would be a third AFC East employer.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes (on Twitter) that Frank Reich could garner interest from New York depending on the status of his head coaching interviews. The former Colts bench boss has been connected to the HC vacancies in Arizona, Carolina and Denver – though he is not currently expected to be a contender for the latter job. Should he strike out on those fronts however, he would be a highly sought-after OC candidate, and one who would understandably find himself on New York’s radar.

Bill Callahan Signs Browns Extension, Nixing Jets OC Interview

January 20th, 2023 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Brian Callahan on the HC radar for a second straight year, his father re-emerged in the OC mix. The Jets requested an interview with Bill Callahan, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets, but the elder Callahan made other plans.

The Browns’ offensive line coach for the past three seasons, Bill Callahan will stay on the position coach level. The 66-year-old assistant signed an extension to stay in Cleveland, Garafolo notes.

Callahan, a former Raiders head coach who was last an OC in 2014 (with the Cowboys), has a history with the Jets. After his four-season run as Nebraska’s HC, the Jets brought him in for a four-year stint as their offensive line coach during Rex Ryan‘s stay. The team ventured to back-to-back AFC championship games during Callahan’s time in New York, which included work with Pro Bowlers Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson. Each of the latter’s three Pro Bowls came during Callahan’s New York tenure.

Cleveland’s offensive line has been one of the NFL’s best throughout Callahan’s tenure. The Browns have invested significantly in the unit, doling out second or third contracts to four of their Callahan-era cogs — Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin, J.C. Tretter. The group has seen a host of accolades come in during this period. Bitonio has been to the past five Pro Bowls, earning All-Pro recognition during his age-30 and age-31 campaigns over the past two years, while Conklin earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2020. A former Bills draftee acquired in a low-profile 2019 trade, Teller was a Pro Bowler last season. Cleveland’s O-line has helped drive Nick Chubb to the past four Pro Bowls.

The Jets saw one of the frontrunners for their OC post — Darrell Bevell — decline an interview, doing so with the Commanders as well. With Bevell out of the picture, the Jets have gone through a few interviews. Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley, former Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett and three Eagles staffers — Marcus Brady, Brian Johnson, Kevin Patullo — have interviewed for the position. But the Bevell and Callahan decisions have affected the team’s search.

Ravens Expect Lamar Jackson To Stay In 2023; QB To Have Input In OC Search

January 19th, 2023 at 10:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

While this offseason presents the third round of Ravens-Lamar Jackson negotiations, key variables are part of the 2023 equation. Jackson is due for free agency (well, the franchise tag) in March, and the Ravens now have an offensive coordinator vacancy.

Greg Roman‘s departure will lead to Jackson, his status as a free agent-to-be notwithstanding, having input on the team’s next play-caller, GM Eric DeCosta said Thursday. Jackson endorsed a tweet indicating his Louisville years involved a pro-style offense, and while this could complicate the Ravens’ OC search — as Roman ran a run-heavy offense that capitalized on Jackson’s historic ground-game impact — the team has some major issues to sort through.

As could be expected, both Ravens power brokers expect Jackson back in 2023. DeCosta said (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley) he does not see any reason why the former MVP would not be back, while John Harbaugh offered a stronger stance.

“I want him here; Eric DeCosta wants him here; [owner] Steve Bisciotti wants him here, and Lamar wants to be here,” Harbaugh said. “One hundred percent, you know, 200%. Lamar Jackson is our quarterback. He’s been our quarterback.”

The Ravens have long been expected to apply the franchise tag to Jackson, who has been extension-eligible since January 2021 but just played out his fifth-year option season. DeCosta has not committed to using the exclusive franchise tag or the nonexclusive tag, indicating (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio) he thinks about that decision “every day.”

An exclusive tag is expected to come in at $45MM, which would place a historic cap figure atop the Ravens’ payroll ahead of free agency. A nonexclusive tag would cost the Ravens approximately $32MM. That gap will be notable for when the Ravens plot out their free agency course, though the lower amount would allow other teams to sign Jackson to an offer sheet. The Ravens would collect two first-round picks in the event they do not match an offer sheet.

Considering recent events — Jackson’s injury, team frustration about his inability to return, Jackson’s comments on the injury and his thinly veiled Instagram shot at the team’s attitude toward him — the Ravens’ full-fledged commitment is logical. They have maintained they have wanted to extend Jackson since 2021. DeCosta and Harbaugh met with Jackson on Thursday, but progress in these negotiations still appears elusive. DeCosta said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero) he is excited to resume extension talks but noted it “takes two to tango.” The GM said this last year as well.

The Ravens are believed to have offered Jackson a six-year extension worth $133MM fully guaranteed. That figure would place Jackson in second place but second place by a gargantuan margin. Deshaun Watson‘s $230MM full guarantee is believed to be Jackson’s target, but the Ravens — and other teams — are attempting to treat the Browns quarterback’s contract as an outlier. While Jackson has outpaced Watson in accomplishments thus far and has not run into any off-field trouble like the Cleveland QB has, the latter’s contract did come via a rare trade derby that involved a four-team bidding war.

As for the speculation Jackson did not return to action this season because of his contract, DeCosta denied this (via BaltimorePositive.com’s Luke Jones). Harbaugh added the three-time Pro Bowler was close to returning to action. Jackson said last week he had a grade 2 PCL sprain that bordered on a grade 3 sprain, which is essentially a tear.

The recent Jackson developments have led some around the league to believe the Ravens will entertain trade offers — likely in a tag-and-trade scenario. DeCosta said (via Hensley) the team will not discuss anything involving a Jackson trade but believes the 25-year-old standout wants to stay in Baltimore for the duration of his career. Jackson has said the same in the past, but recent events and the team’s upcoming negotiations with the still-agent-less player may test that commitment.

Harbaugh said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) the team will consider internal candidates to replace Roman. The team operated this way in 2016 (Marty Mornhinweg) and 2019 (Roman). The most recent external hire for the job was Marc Trestman, who held the role from 2015-16. The Ravens will look outside the organization this time; the team must interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule.

The team’s passing-game struggles may well be attributed to Jackson, Jackson’s backups and Roman, but its issues at wide receiver have been a consistent concern. Harbaugh pointed to the team needing more receiving help this offseason, Zrebiec tweets. The team will have its top two wideouts — Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay — coming off major foot injuries, and it looks like more help will be sought. Procuring said aid on the market has not been the easiest thing for the run-heavy team to do, but receiver will be again be a focus for the Ravens this offseason.

2023 NFL General Manager Search Tracker

January 17th, 2023 at 4:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

So far this offseason, only two NFL presented general manager vacancies. The Cardinals and Titans have now each made their choices. If other teams decide to make GM changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:

Updated 1-17-23 (4:27pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Tennessee Titans

Browns To Hire Jim Schwartz As DC

January 17th, 2023 at 8:36am CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns have made the first hire in this season’s coordinator cycle. Cleveland is set to add Jim Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator, reports ESPN’s Dianna Russini (Twitter link).

Schwartz, 56, was quickly named as a candidate for the position. The veteran coach brings significant experience to the role, having spent a total of 14 years as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. His most recent tenure under that title came with the Eagles from 2016-20. Given his time there, he brings Super Bowl pedigree to a Browns team searching for consistency on their coaching staff.

Joe Woods was thought to be on the hot seat as Cleveland’s DC during the season, after his unit failed to live up to expectations. Performances improved later in the campaign, but it still came as little surprise when he was fired last week. That kicked off the team’s search for his successor, which included Sean Desai, Dennard Wilson, and Brian Flores being considered in addition to Schwartz. Patriots LBs coach Jerod Mayo declined to meet with the Browns for the position, but Cleveland will still land a highly-regarded staffer as a result of this hire.

Prior to his time with the Eagles, Schwartz had a five-year tenure as head coach of the Lions. Aside from a 10-6 campaign in 2011, Detroit posted a losing record in each of his seasons at the helm. That obviously hurt his chances of landing another HC post in the future, but his Philadelphia success (which began after a single season in Buffalo) rebuilt his stock with respect to his abilities as a coordinator. Schwartz also had an eight-year stint as the Titans’ DC from 2001-08.

It was with the Browns that Schwartz began his time in the NFL. In 1993, Cleveland hired him as a personnel scout, a role he remained in for three seasons. He stayed with the franchise for another three years after it moved to Baltimore, though his time with the Ravens consisted of work as a defensive assistant. That launched his career as a staffer on that side of the ball, and has led to plenty of success which his original employer will now hope he can replicate.

The Browns put up underwhelming numbers in most defensive categories in 2022, with their secondary standing out as a notable exception. The team’s front seven is likely to be a focal point in the offseason, after surrendering an average of 135 yards per game on the ground and recording only 34 sacks. A plethora of injuries at the middle linebacker position in particular contributed in part to those figures, but a new voice on the sidelines will likely be a welcomed sight.

With such an experienced DC coming onboard, head coach Kevin Stefanski will have a veteran staffer to lean on as the team looks to clean up issues such as discipline which were a talking point in the season. This hire could further point to Stefanski retaining offensive play-calling duties, something which has been called into question with calls for him to take on a more general role overseeing team as a whole. His staff now has a veteran voice on hand to steer the team towards a rebound in 2023.

Load More Posts