The Buffalo Bills' decision to part ways with head coach Sean McDermott wasn't that shocking, all things considered. Promoting Brandon Beane, on the other hand, was something that not many people saw coming.
Whatever the case, Josh Allen is now looking for another head coach, and that's bad news for all other teams in the hunt. That's especially the case for the Cleveland Browns, a team that probably wasn't at the top of some candidates' lists.
With that in mind, it's not much of a surprise to see that Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has the Browns as the fifth-most appealing of six head coach vacancies right now, ahead of only the Arizona Cardinals.
Bleacher Report's latest ranking shows an anti-Browns bias
While it's hard to argue that the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills are probably the most appealing destinations, the Browns shouldn't be that far behind.
The Las Vegas Raiders have the No. 1 pick, sure, but it's a weak draft class, and they're much more than just one quarterback away from contention. Not to mention that, like the Browns, they also have a long history of dysfunction.
Then, there's the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team with no clear direction. Their once-great defense is expensive, aging, and fading. They have no weapons on offense, nor a clear path to find another franchise quarterback this offseason. Aaron Rodgers may or may not return, but he's not the guy he used to be, so having him back shouldn't move the needle in the AFC North.
The Browns had the best rookie class in the entire league this season. They have two first-round selections, an elite defense, and multiple draft capital to keep stacking the bricks and getting the offense to where it needs to be. They could even trade for bonafide starters like C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray, or a bridge quarterback with starter potential, like Mac Jones.
Given this team's long history of struggles, leading the Browns back to contention would instantly propel any head coach to "elite" status. Kevin Stefanski had a 45-56 head coaching record and went 1-2 in the playoffs, and didn't need two weeks to land another head coaching job.
The Browns may not be just one year away from playoff contention, given all the uncertainty about the quarterback room. Even so, they're in a much better place than most people want to admit, and we've already seen what hiring the right guy can do for an organization almost overnight.