Cleveland Browns: It will be hard to not hire Gregg Williams as head coach
By Dan Justik
As the Cleveland Browns continue the process of finding their next head coach, Gregg Williams is making it much harder for the organization to move on from him.
When the Cleveland Browns made Gregg Williams the interim head coach after firing Hue Jackson and Todd Haley at the end of October, it looked like the Browns were destined to be making another top ten selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Instead, Williams has gone 5-2 and had the Browns competing to be in the playoffs until Week 16, when Cleveland was eventually mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
The Browns have looked like an entirely different team with Williams at the helm. The Browns seem to be much more prepared entering games under Williams. The team has also become much more disciplined, committing two fewer penalties per game than they were under Jackson this season.
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Overall, there has been a major difference in how the Browns have played with Williams as the head coach. So much so that Williams is making himself a legitimate candidate for the permanent Browns head coaching job.
When the Browns initially fired Jackson, the expectation was that general manager John Dorsey would be looking for an offensive minded coach that would pair well with Baker Mayfield. But interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens has done so well in the role that it appears he has locked up the job for the 2019 season.
If that proves true and the Browns have their offensive guru on the staff, then it allows Cleveland to find a CEO-type head coach. When Williams took over the head coaching role, he said he would keep his role as the defensive coordinator. But over the last couple of weeks, linebackers coach Blake Williams has become the defensive play-caller.
It is obvious that Williams has done a good job in the CEO role and has the players performing at a higher level. With a roster full of young talent, players are developing and are able to play big roles throughout the course of a game and make a difference.
Williams has the ear of the players and the entire roster is playing hard for him. Why would the Browns front office break up something that is clearly working? Most of the roster will largely stay the same heading into 2019, so keeping Williams with this team makes a lot of sense.
It would be great if the Browns could find a coach that will keep Williams as the defensive coordinator and Freddie Kitchens as the offensive coordinator. But there is a good chance that Williams generates a lot of interest around the league for head coach openings. If the Browns want to keep Williams, their only chance could be to hire him as the head coach.
Next. Studs and duds from the Browns Week 16 victory. dark
It may not be the outcome that the Browns fan base, or even the front office, would have expected back in October, but Williams is making an extremely strong case to be the team’s permanent head coach. If the Browns finish the season with a victory in Baltimore and go 6-2 under Williams, Williams could make himself the front runner for the job.