Will Josh McDaniels be Cleveland bound?

[Claremonster]

Will Josh McDaniels be Cleveland bound? - Extra Points - Boston.com

On Dec. 9, after speaking to two influential NFL sources, I wrote that NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi was a serious candidate to be the next general manager of the Browns should owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner decide to part ways with general manager Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur.

And if Lombardi was hired, Alabama coach Nick Saban would be the top target followed by Oregon coach Chip Kelly and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

With the hiring of Alec Scheiner as Browns president on Tuesday, it looks like we're a step closer to everything becoming reality.

From long-time Browns beat writer Tony Grossi:

Banner will oversee football operations and, we’ve been told by sources, will name Lombardi to a glorified player personnel director position.

As far as the coaching front once that happens, Grossi names the targets: Saban (long shot), Kelly (long shot because he can demand personnel control if he wants) and McDaniels.

Independently, Saban, who has built a national powerhouse at Alabama, is believed to be Haslam’s first choice to coach the Browns. ... There is one rumor that Haslam is prepared to offer Saban a $100 million deal over 10 years to coach the Browns. ....Two sources who know Saban have told me that Saban is leaning toward staying at Alabama and if he ever sought to scratch that NFL itch again, it would not be in Cleveland.

In my job, I don't really care what happens with Saban and Kelly, but the McDaniels situation is certainly interesting.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer also had this to say about McDaniels and the Browns:

A source told The Plain Dealer that McDaniels, who coached the Broncos in 2009, would jump at the chance to coach the Browns.

Would he leave after just one season? Yes, if it was the right situation. A Banner-Lombardi-McDaniels trio, McDaniels being a born-and-bred Ohioan, and a chance to rebuild where the Bill Belichick tree was first planted, would be factors that would likely get a blessing from Belichick.

What would the Patriots do at offensive coordinator? Wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea is the only viable candidate currently on the staff, and now three years into his Patriots tenure, the former college quarterback should be ready.

An outside (and probably long shot) candidate could be former tight ends coach Brian Ferentz, who spent last season as the offensive line coach for his father, Kirk, at Iowa.

One more log to throw on the fire: those two initial sources said that if Lombardi and McDaniels indeed team up in Cleveland, the chances are good that they will attempt to trade for Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett and install him as the franchise quarterback. Brandon Weeden would be out, or in a backup role.

 

[Chopblock CB]

Will Josh McDaniels be Cleveland bound? - Extra Points - Boston.com

On Dec. 9, after speaking to two influential NFL sources, I wrote that NFL Network analyst Michael Lombardi was a serious candidate to be the next general manager of the Browns should owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner decide to part ways with general manager Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur.

And if Lombardi was hired, Alabama coach Nick Saban would be the top target followed by Oregon coach Chip Kelly and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

With the hiring of Alec Scheiner as Browns president on Tuesday, it looks like we're a step closer to everything becoming reality.

From long-time Browns beat writer Tony Grossi:

Banner will oversee football operations and, we’ve been told by sources, will name Lombardi to a glorified player personnel director position.

As far as the coaching front once that happens, Grossi names the targets: Saban (long shot), Kelly (long shot because he can demand personnel control if he wants) and McDaniels.

Independently, Saban, who has built a national powerhouse at Alabama, is believed to be Haslam’s first choice to coach the Browns. ... There is one rumor that Haslam is prepared to offer Saban a $100 million deal over 10 years to coach the Browns. ....Two sources who know Saban have told me that Saban is leaning toward staying at Alabama and if he ever sought to scratch that NFL itch again, it would not be in Cleveland.

In my job, I don't really care what happens with Saban and Kelly, but the McDaniels situation is certainly interesting.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer also had this to say about McDaniels and the Browns:

A source told The Plain Dealer that McDaniels, who coached the Broncos in 2009, would jump at the chance to coach the Browns.

Would he leave after just one season? Yes, if it was the right situation. A Banner-Lombardi-McDaniels trio, McDaniels being a born-and-bred Ohioan, and a chance to rebuild where the Bill Belichick tree was first planted, would be factors that would likely get a blessing from Belichick.

What would the Patriots do at offensive coordinator? Wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea is the only viable candidate currently on the staff, and now three years into his Patriots tenure, the former college quarterback should be ready.

An outside (and probably long shot) candidate could be former tight ends coach Brian Ferentz, who spent last season as the offensive line coach for his father, Kirk, at Iowa.

One more log to throw on the fire: those two initial sources said that if Lombardi and McDaniels indeed team up in Cleveland, the chances are good that they will attempt to trade for Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett and install him as the franchise quarterback. Brandon Weeden would be out, or in a backup role.

Why?....A)..Why would he leave NE when he too might be a candidate for the HC of the NEP. B) Why would Cleveland want a lifetime 11-17 Coach as their HC? He ain't goin anywhere

 

[chasa]

BB will tell him not to go.

The browns are cursed.

 

[fnordcircle]

I don't think Belichick thinks about retiring until Brady retires.

Will that be 3 years? Or 7? If it's 7 and they've put another 70+ wins on the tally sheet for Belichick, does Belichick start thinking about Shula's record? I know it sounds absurd and double digit wins every season sustained over that long of a period is mostly unheard of.

But that's my pipe dream that I like to imagine Belichick hanging on if he's got a chance to catch up to Shula.

So I don't think McDaniels is going to be our HC any time soon and him leaving for Cleveland would be a strong indicator of such.

 

[signbabybrady]

Why?....A)..Why would he leave NE when he too might be a candidate for the HC of the NEP. B) Why would Cleveland want a lifetime 11-17 Coach as their HC? He ain't goin anywhere

A) because BB aint going anywhere for awhile
b) because it is a coach who will have a similar backround to the guy they are hiring for Director of Player Personell. Yes he failed in his first stint as HC but he is one of the top offensive minds in the league and part of an orginization that the rest of the league is trying to copy.

 

[Deus Irae]

I would have to question McDaniels' sanity if he took the Cleveland job.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Why?....A)..Why would he leave NE when he too might be a candidate for the HC of the NEP. B) Why would Cleveland want a lifetime 11-17 Coach as their HC? He ain't goin anywhere

I agree with what Bedard said on Twitter, that BB isn't going anywhere for a while. I think he stays after Brady, in which case we're talking a good three to five years at least.

BB will tell him not to go.

The browns are cursed.

I think BB will endorse Josh going to join his buddy Lombardi


As an aside to mods: The Mallett trade idea thread has developed into a discussion of this issue, and has cited this article (though not quite so extensively .. yikes), so maybe a merge with a title change? EDIT: Or not; people seem to be jumping onto this thread too. Whatever.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

BB will tell him not to go.

The browns are cursed.

BB did not seem the least bit bitter about the city of Cleveland in that 30-for-30 special, or the Browns organization (granted, the Browns organization that he dealt with became the Ravens organization). In fact I think I remember him saying something like he felt the city of Cleveland deserved better and definitely deserved another franchise.

I don't think it's like somebody going to the Jets, for example.

 

[Rob0729]

Lombardi and Belichick are good friends. I seriously doubt Lombardi would raid Belichick's coaching staff. He might respect Belichick too much to even ask.

 

[Deus Irae]

Lombardi and Belichick are good friends. I seriously doubt Lombardi would raid Belichick's coaching staff. He might respect Belichick too much to even ask.

I don't buy the Mallet part, either.

 

[Jackson 2]

I like Josh very much as an OC. I'm not sure his stints elsewhere have made him a hot candidate as a head coach.

 

[Steve102]

Will that be 3 years? Or 7? If it's 7 and they've put another 70+ wins on the tally sheet for Belichick, does Belichick start thinking about Shula's record? I know it sounds absurd and double digit wins every season sustained over that long of a period is mostly unheard of.

But that's my pipe dream that I like to imagine Belichick hanging on if he's got a chance to catch up to Shula.

Hoodie's at 185, Shula is 328. BB has to average 14 wins over a ten year period to catch up. Bill's 60 years old. Do we really see him going to 70? I do not. I don't think it's much of limb to go out on and say Shula's record is safe for the time being. I can see BB in the 230-250 range, which puts him with Curley Lambeau and Tom Landry. Rarefied air to be sure.

 

[DarrylS]

Still not sure I see this, although there are efforts to stabilize that franchise.. it has a long way to go. Still think he is in line for the HC of the NEP when BB moves upstairs..

My basic question, is why leave a job in which you are paid well and the subject of accolades in a great organization.. to go to an organization that has been in disarray for years now???

 

[Ivan]

If he listens to Belichick then I doubt he would take it, not because belichick would be looking to block him but because Belichick knows that coaches are unlikely to keep getting chances when they fail. Belichick failed in Cleveland and that's why he rejected the jets and demanded control from the Kraft's as a condition of taking the Patriots job. he knew that a second failure would mean he would probably not get another shot at HC after that, and as such wasn't going to allow Parcells to control his destiny. He believed that given the opportunity and control of the organization in NE that he could succeed, and if he didn't it would all be on him. If McDaniel's pays heed to that then it's unlikely he takes the gig in Cleveland even though it is his hometown team. If the Patriots offense continues to go nuts gor a couple more seasons he may well be in a position to demand the same kind of organizational control that Belichick did, which along with a shot at the HC job in NE someday would likely be his best chance at success. If he has another quick failure it will be a long long time, if ever, before he gets to be a head coach in the NFL. College is another story.


FTR: I really don't believe Saban will go to Cleveland, Chip Kelly may well be the most likely candidate.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Still not sure I see this, although there are efforts to stabilize that franchise.. it has a long way to go. Still think he is in line for the HC of the NEP when BB moves upstairs..

My basic question, is why leave a job in which you are paid well and the subject of accolades in a great organization.. to go to an organization that has been in disarray for years now???

Ambition and ego are known to be common traits of young and successful people.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

My insane long term plan:

Turn Josh into a DC next year, while still using him as a offensive reference -- let him stay somewhat involved in offensive strategy -- just not game time play calling; But primarily focus him on defensive strategy / play calling -- let him learn those things under Bill for 3 years.

In 3 years, Bill steps into a front office only role -- either as GM or a Cam Neely type roll where he's not GM but still involved, and a well rounded Josh takes over as head coach.

 

[BostonPatriot71]

BB will tell him not to go.

The browns are cursed.

These Browns are not the old Browns. The real Cleveland Browns are called Baltimore Ravens. The NFL can repeat over and over again that the 'new' Browns is a continuation of the 'old' Browns but saying it doesn't make it so. The new Browns are a zombie franchise. Kind of like the kid you lost as parents, and then someone comes and tells you that they can bring it back, and first you love it but after a while you start noticing some rather unsettling differences.

Stay away, Josh! Don't go. This is not the franchise BB once coached.

Fun fact: BB was actually the first ever head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, them having switched there before he was fired (I think they fired him a week later, or something like that).

 

[Off The Grid]

1 ~ I would be enraged ~ not necessarily surprised ~ if Mad Mac booted to CleveLand or elsewhere, next year: If I were runnning things as an Head Coach, I would insist on a minimum of a 3 Year Commitment from any and all: Far better to go with a lesser but emotionally invested & committed Talent than to be constantly ripping up what you've Built:

Systems often take years to bear their Finest Fruit.

2 ~ Of course, I wouldn't mind letting the Browns borrow'm for a week.

3 ~ I think that Mad Mac would be foolish to leave, now, even though I hope and believe that Bill The Mad (Genius) might be here for a long while, yet: We are poised to for a potentially historic run, over the next 3 to 6 years.

Immortality lies Thither.

 

[Rusty Coupe]

Seven HC candidates not named McDaniels, Gruden, or Cowher

Chip Kelly, Perry Fewell among top NFL head coach candidates - NFL.com

Likely 2013 HC jobs available: K.C., Oakland, San Diego, Tenn, JAX, Buffalo,Arizona, Philadelphia, Cleveland

Possible 2013 HC vacancies: Jets, Carolina, New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas

 

[VJCPatriot]

McDainel appears great at directing prolific offenses. But the thing he will be missing in Cleveland is a Tom Brady-level talent to EXECUTE such offenses on the field.

I think he would be better served staying on a couple years longer and breaking some more records. Then he could pretty much have his choice of HC positions, and probably with a better team than Cleveland. I mean have you ever been to Cleveland? It's considered one of the worst cities in America. Lebron left that place for a reason.

Probably wishful thinking though. It's hard to pass up a HC opportunity, but still. Cleveland? Seriously?