Cleveland Browns: Will Freddie Kitchens play key role in coaching search?

The Cleveland Browns offense has been transformed under Freddie Kitchens, and he could play a key role in the head coaching search.

Ever since the Cleveland Browns promoted Freddie Kitchens from the team’s running backs coach to the offensive coordinator, there has been a noticeable difference in the offense’s performance.

In the five games Kitchens has been the offensive coordinator, the Browns offense has averaged 386.6 total yards and 24.6 points. In the eight games with Todd Haley as the offensive coordinator, the Browns averaged 342.4 total yards and 21.1 points per game.

The overall performance of the offense has made Kitchens a valuable commodity for the Browns. He has done such a good job in the position, that The Athletic’s Dane Brugler believes that he should play a key role in the Browns search for their next head coach.

More from Dawg Pound Daily

• How the Browns could maximize Nick Chubb in 2023
• Can Deshaun Watson get to Patrick Mahomes level for Cleveland Browns?
• 3 Cleveland Browns who should see an expanded role in 2023 and 1 who should not
• Is Marcus Davenport on the Browns radar in 2023?
• 5 Free agents from Super Bowl LVII Cleveland Browns should target

Kitchens has shown a lot of creativity since being promoted to offensive coordinator – just look at Jarvis Landry’s two carries against the Panthers to see an example. He has been using formations that defenses are not used to seeing, including using a full-house backfield with all three of the Browns running backs on the field.

Kitchens has turned the offense into a more modern, up-tempo offense that the rest of the league has switched to running. Under Haley, the Browns offense would be mired in slow-developing plays, leading to quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield being sacked too often.

The Browns quarterbacks were sacked 33 times in the eight games that Haley was calling plays. Since Haley was fired, the Browns have only allowed three sacks in the five games that Kitchens has been the offensive coordinator.

Kitchens’ scheme has helped the offensive line in protecting the most valuable member of the organization in Mayfield. Without being forced to scramble out of the pocket every other play, Mayfield’s play has excelled under Kitchens.

In the five games with Kitchens as the play-caller, Mayfield has completed 73 percent of his passes for 1,406 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Under Haley, Mayfield was completing only 58.3 percent of his passes for 1,471 yards, eight touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Mayfield is going to be the No. 1 factor in who the Browns hire to be their next head coach. The mindset Browns general manager John Dorsey has with this coaching search is finding a good fit for Mayfield that will help his development.

But Mayfield already has a coach that he trusts and is making him better quarterback, and that is Kitchens. With the trust that Mayfield has in Kitchens, it will be extremely difficult for the Browns to move on from the offensive coordinator in favor of who the new head coach wants.

That may be a deal-breaker for some potential head coaching candidates. New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been heavily linked to the Browns job. However, it has recently been reported that McDaniels wants to have control of his coaching staff. He may not want to be forced to keep Kitchens on his staff, and it could cause him to take his name out of contention for the Browns job.

But if the Browns goal is to put a coaching staff around Mayfield that he can trust and will help his development, it seems that Kitchens is going to need to stay in Cleveland. If that is the case, then Kitchens will be playing a major role as the Browns search for their next head coach.