Report: Cleveland Browns to hire Al Saunders to offensive staff

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson is reportedly adding longtime coach Al Saunders to his offensive coaching staff.

The Cleveland Browns will reportedly hire veteran NFL coach Al Saunders.

While nothing has been officially announced, reports say that Saunders will the coaching staff as a senior offensive assistant.

Saunders and Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson have a history together as Saunders was the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders when Jackson was head coach in 2011. That season the Oakland was among the league leaders in rushing (7th; 131.9), total offense (9th; 379.5) and passing (11th; 247.6). In addition, the Raiders tied for seventh in the league in rushing touchdowns (16) and tied for fifth in the NFL with 14 completions of 40 or more yards.

Jackson and Saunders also worked together in Baltimore on coaching quarterback Joe Flacco in 2009.

The pair also spent together last summer during training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals when Jackson was the team’s offensive coordinator. Jackson brought Saunders to camp to work with the wide receivers and it didn’t take Saunders long to get the better of wide receiver Greg Little, according to an article at ESPN.com:

"Sometime near the start of the Cincinnati Bengals’ training camp-opening practice Friday afternoon, the first fumble of the preseason was registered when 6-foot-2, 220-pound receiver Greg Little was stripped from behind by a man more than twice his age."

"Just after Little caught a pass in a routine passing drill and turned upfield to jog out an extra 15 to 20 yards, the shorter, blonde-haired man bounded behind him."

"The 68-year-old didn’t cover ground as quickly as the 26-year-old professional football player, but the effort was certainly there. Arms flying high off his body, legs stretching wide and churning grass underneath them, the older man in the gray shirt eventually caught Little. When he did, he punched the ball out of the receiver’s grasp and stumbled awkwardly for another 10 yards as he tried to slow his momentum."

"It was around the time of Little’s fumble that people on the sidelines began wondering: Who was the older man?"

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With that kind of enthusiasm, it is easy to see why Jackson would want Saunders around as he works to rebuild the Browns.

Saunders has 32 years of coaching experience in the NFL. He has previously served as offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs (2001-05), assistant head coach for the Washington Redskins (2006-07), offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams (2008) and an offensive consultant for the Baltimore Ravens (2009-2010).

He spent the past three years as a senior offensive assistant in Oakland, retiring when head coach Jack Del Rio took over and did not have a role for Saunders.

Saunders was also head coach of the San Diego Chargers from 1986 to 1988, posting a record of 17-22.