The Cleveland Browns will leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of a Kevin Stefanski replacement. They're taking their time to make a decision while doing their due diligence on more than a dozen potential candidates.
That cautious approach is usually positive. Unfortunately, other teams are also trying to fill their vacant positions, and some of the top names in the market have already landed new jobs. Now, with the Buffalo Bills emerging as one of the most appealing destinations, the Browns might lose another candidate.
According to CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani, the Bills might be interested in Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Coincidentally, the Browns just scheduled a second meeting with him for this Thursday.
The Browns might not get a shot to land Jesse Minter after all
With Mike McDaniel surprisingly dropping out of the Browns' head coach race, the team is suddenly down to just five candidates. Dajani wouldn't be surprised if that list soon dwindles to four, as Minter is in high demand across the league.
"Jesse Minter, 42, is another hot name this offseason, as he's been requested by virtually every NFL team searching for a new coach. Some were skeptical when Jim Harbaugh brought his defensive coordinator from Michigan over to the Chargers, but Minter has been fantastic," Dajani wrote. "Minter has spent the majority of his coaching career at the college level, but did work with defensive backs for the other Harbaugh brother in Baltimore for four seasons."
Minter emerged as a rising star in the coaching ranks after working his magic with the championship-winning Michigan Wolverines. It didn't take long before he proved to be ready for the pros. The Chargers had the league's best scoring defense last season, allowing just 17.7 points per game. They jumped to No. 9 this season, but they were almost as good, giving up just 20.0 points a game. They also gave up the fifth-fewest total yards per game (285.2).
The Browns' offense is still a work in progress, to say the least, but the defense has the potential to be the best in the game. With a rising star like Mason Graham, a building block in Carson Schwesinger, and prominent stars like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward, this team is poised to continue its dominance on defense for years to come.
Minter is only 42, but unlike most young head-coaching candidates, he's extremely well-connected through his ties to the Harbaughs. He could probably bring former Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman with him, or maybe even convince Todd Monken to stay in the AFC North rather than follow John Harbaugh to the New York Giants.
The Browns were at their best when they were a run-heavy team. They may not have Nick Chubb anymore, but Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson proved to be up to the task. If Minter is anything like his mentors, he might be just the type of run-heavy, defense-first type of young head coach this team needs.
Hopefully, they'll get a fair shot at him, and the Bills will focus on someone else.