Cleveland Browns Report: Freddie Kitchens to be fired, won’t be alone

Michael Lombardi, a former Cleveland Browns executive, cites two sources saying Freddie Kitchens is gone, but won’t be the only one out the door in 2020

There’s been a lot of speculation as to what the Cleveland Browns are going to do this offseason. Their talent says they should have been in contention for the postseason but they enter Week 17 at just 6-9.

Clearly, something went wrong and most are pointing the finger at head coach Freddie Kitchens. The first-year coach has been maligned for his play-calling, game management, and unwillingness to defer to his offensive coordinator when it became clear he had too much on his plate on Sundays.

With Kitchens being singled out as the biggest problem, it’s become nearly a foregone conclusion that he will be out as a head coach in 2020. The front office has tried to quiet these rumors saying they want him to return but a loss to the Arizona Cardinals seemed to cement his status.

However, Kitchens might not be the only one on thin ice in Berea. According to Michael Lombardi of The Athletic, two sources have told him there will be more than just one person out the door following their finale on Sunday.

Assuming Lombardi’s sources are right, there are a couple of names that could be on the chopping block. One could be general manager John Dorsey who has made some big moves but also some big misses.

Dorsey landed Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Denzel Ward, Jarvis Landry, and Odell Beckham, Jr. over the past two seasons. But he also missed on Austin Corbett with the 33rd overall pick, took a poor gamble on Antonio Callaway, and traded away a star right guard in Kevin Zeitler for Olivier Vernon who has not lived up to expectations.

The biggest miss for Dorsey though seems to be Kitchens. This was the first official head coaching hire in his career and it hasn’t worked out.

Still, firing Dorsey seems a bit premature. Another possibility could be the dismissal of Paul DePodesta, the chief strategy officer, and known analytic lover.

There are rumors Dorsey (who is not an analytics guy) and DePodesta have differed on opinions recently — and did so when it came to hiring Kitchens.

While we don’t know for sure what will happen after their final game against the Cincinnati Bengals, it seems as though we do know one thing. And that would be that 2020 will be interesting as Lombardi says.