HEADLINES

Browns Researching HC Candidates

December 29th, 2019 at 9:22am CST by Rory Parks

The Browns have been researching head coaching candidates, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (via Twitter). La Canfora says Cleveland is doing its due diligence on possible replacements for first-year HC Freddie Kitchens, who may be given his walking papers after Sunday’s season finale.

Obviously, it would not be surprising to see Kitchens fired. The Browns have underachieved all season, they have looked undisciplined and sloppy, and Kitchens looks ill-equipped to handle a locker room full of talented but headstrong players. Kitchens has not helped himself either, as his words and actions have occasionally suggested that he is in over his head.

Just two weeks ago, we heard that Cleveland was planning to keep Kitchens around for 2020 and to give him a chance to right the ship. Since then, however, the Browns suffered a bad loss to the Cardinals — which included more infighting — and after keeping the Ravens in check for most of the first half last Sunday, they imploded in the final two minutes of the second quarter and ultimately lost 31-15.

The loss to Baltimore was a capsule of the Browns’ season. They played well for a stretch but ultimately unraveled when adversity struck, and Kitchens’ questionable decision-making helped key the Ravens’ comeback.

Given the talent on the roster, the Browns may be able to woo a high-profile head coaching candidate, and they are at least reviewing all of their options. A loss, or even an ugly win, against the 1-14 Bengals on Sunday afternoon could trigger Kitchens’ ouster.

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