Browns have fired Rob Chudzinski, two targets emerge

Dec 15, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski before a game aganst the Chicago Bears at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Browns wasted little time once the buses got back to Berea.  They had a meeting with head coach Rob Chudzinski and made the decision to let him go.  While many will talk about the 4-12 record and how that was simply not good enough, the deeper people delve into it, the record and the standings did not help Chud, but the issues behind the scenes seemed to doom this relationship.

The front office and Chudzinski were not on the same page and how they approached the season and transactions involving players.  There is a sense that in a season that the team set up to evaluate and give players opportunities to show their ability to make a roster in the future or get better, the opportunities were simply wasted.

The Browns simply decided that it was not worth trying to work out through another season and wanted to cut the strings now and absord the PR hit, hoping to get the right guy.  Two targets have emerged;  Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

It is important to note that the Browns cannot officially talk to McDaniels for the time being.  They may be able to talk to him during the bye week as the Patriots prepare for a divisional playoff game, but the hiring would wait until after the Patriots are done in the playoffs.  Meanwhile, O’Brien is able to talk to whoever he wants to now and has already been linked to the Houston Texans.  He had formerly been an offensive coordinator for the Patriots.

Both have connections to the Browns in the form of Mike Lombardi.  Both also have a connection to the Browns because of Brian Hoyer and his time with the Patriots.  There will be plenty of PR to delve through and the idea of again trying to create the Patriots-west idea, but the Browns seem to be confident in both choices.

This NFL draft is pivotal for the franchise and the Browns have decided to bring in a new staff, so that everyone is on the same page going forward.  Much of the current staff may ultimately be let go including both coordinators.