Cleveland Browns: Mike Priefer added as special teams coordinator

Freddie Kitchens is assembling his staff with the Cleveland Browns and has tabbed Mike Priefer as his special teams coordinator

Now that the Cleveland Browns have a head coach in Freddie Kitchens, he can begin to build himself a staff to work with.

The most high-profile additions will be the coordinator spots, and one has been filled as Tom Pelissero broke the news that the Browns will be bringing in former Minnesota Vikings specials teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

Priefer will have the same title with Cleveland and chose them over the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, and even the Vikings.

Priefer has been with Minnesota since 2011 in the same job title, although he also had a stint as an interim head coach in 2016. That was the season that head coach Mike Zimmer underwent eye surgery and Priefer filled in for one game — which ended up being a 17-15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Priefer is a second generation NFL coach, as his father, Chuck Priefer — also a special teams coordinator, coached for several NFL teams from 1984-2006.

Special teams has been an area of concern for the Browns for a few seasons now. Amos Jones has taken the majority of the heat for that, but will not be back in 2019. While a lack of big returns frustrated many, the real problem was undisciplined play which led to many penalties.

According to NFLPenalties.com, Cleveland was sixth in the NFL in special teams flags in 2018 whereas Minnesota was No. 20.

Priefer’s main job will be getting this team to play smart football and not setting the offense up in bad positions on returns due to those penalties.