Will Ron Rivera coach the Browns next year?

Ron Rivera was recently let go by the Carolina Panthers. What are the chances he ends up being the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns?

The Cleveland Browns entered 2019 with high expectations and have not lived up to them. Cleveland opted to promote interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to head coach this past offseason with the thought that it would help franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield’s development. However, he has regressed and so has the whole team. Is Kitchens’ time up already?

On this week’s episode of Stacking the Box, FanSided‘s Matt Verderame and Josh Hill, along with former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, believe that former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera will be leading a new football team next season. The question is if he will be the next head coach in Cleveland should ownership punt on Kitchens after one season in charge (48:46)?

Both Schwartz and Verderame are out on Rivera being the Browns’ next head coach because they know Rivera will have other, more enticing options than to take over for an ill-equipped Kitchens in Cleveland. Verderame thinks the New York Giants are where he’s going and Schwartz would add the Jacksonville Jaguars are another potential landing spot for Riverboat Ron.

While the Browns aren’t the top suitor for Rivera, Verderame feels the Browns could get somebody good to replace Kitchens if they do go in that direction because Verderame believes in John Dorsey’s abilities as a general manager. Verderame thinks the Browns can right a wrong and hire former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy as they should have this last offseason.

McCarthy has spent a year out of football, trying to learn from the mistakes he made in Green Bay. He’s a blue-collar guy who won a ton with the Packers. If there is mutual interest between both parties, then it wouldn’t be the least bit shocking to see McCarthy as the next Browns head coach.

As for Rivera, Schwartz knew that new Panthers owner David Tepper was going to move off him at some point. Tepper wanted to hire his own guy but tried to make it work with Rivera for as long as he could. Expect Rivera to be either the next head coach of the Giants or the Jaguars, but not the Browns. We’re more likely to see McCarthy in Cleveland than Riverboat Ron on Lake Erie.

Here are a few other topics discussed on this week’s episode of Stacking the Box:

• FanSided 250, Verderame and Schwartz’s interests (0:40)
• Verderame, Schwartz break down bad TLC shows (5:01)
• Who are the real Super Bowl contenders? (52:20)
• What to watch for in Week 15 (54:14)

All this and more!

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