The 2019 regular season is winding down, which means the coaching carousel is about to start ramping up. Earlier today the Falcons announced Dan Quinn would be back for 2020, crossing one potential opening off the list. This is shaping up to be a potentially quiet year in terms of number of coaches fired, but there should still be a good amount of action. One man still on the hot seat is the Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone. The latest reporting indicated the Jags were leaning toward keeping Marrone and GM Dave Caldwell, and we have more info to back that up now. Tony Khan, the team’s EVP and son of owner Shad Khan, is expected to take on an increased role in the organization, according to Albert Breer of SI.com.
That’s good news for Marrone and Caldwell, since Breer writes that the younger Khan has a good relationship with both. He further adds that “things are trending toward” the duo “surviving the weekend.” Tom Coughlin, the team’s head of football operations, was fired recently and has been taking the brunt of the blame for the organization’s spiral.
Here’s the latest from around the league:
- There’s been a lot of speculation that Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens could be one and done, as Cleveland has been a dumpster fire all year long. Breer writes that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam initially seemed inclined to keep him around for a second year, but that recently Haslam has “kept his cards closer to the vest.” Even if Kitchens survives, Breer says he expects there to be significant changes to his staff. It’s been “an open secret that offensive coordinator Todd Monken hasn’t been happy” this season, he reports. How the Browns fare in Week 17 against the 1-14 Bengals could go a long way in determining Kitchens’ future.
- Everyone that Breer has talked to indicated that the Panthers are going to conduct an extensive search for Ron Rivera’s replacement. Notably, Breer has learned that the search is expected to include a college coach or two. Baylor coach Matt Rhule and Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley have been two college coaches heavily linked to NFL jobs recently. New owner David Tepper is looking to put his stamp on the team, and it’ll be very interesting to see which direction he heads. He’s been very keen on analytics, so a younger offensive-minded hire wouldn’t be surprising. Further, Breer writes to “keep an eye out” for Josh McDaniels and the Panthers. The Patriots offensive coordinator nearly took the Colts’ job two cycles ago, and will be a hot name again this time around. Whoever the Panthers hire “will have considerable say over the football operation, in areas like strength-and-conditioning, training and video,” Breer reports.
- Speaking of the Patriots, Nick Caserio isn’t the only exec in their building who could get poached. Breer speculates that McDaniels could try to lure pro personnel director Dave Ziegler with him if he leaves to become a head coach. Given that Caserio and director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort are both on expiring contracts, Breer thinks the Pats might work hard to retain Ziegler.
Imagine if Lincoln Riley joined the Browns as head coach next year.
He coached Baker Mayfield in college so not only does he know the QB well but he knows how to get the best out of him.
He’s won the Big12 3 years straight with Oklahoma and has a 36-5 record. Hes a really good offence coach which is what the team needs cause it’s defence is actually pretty alright.
Plus coaches that come from college usually draft well for a few years and the Browns potentially have the Texans third this year as well as an extra 4th and 5th next year.
It would be a huge win for the Browns to get Riley as it’s coach, a huge win for Mayfield to work with someone he knows and a win for OBJ because hopefully the offence gets fixed.
Whoever the new head coach is will have little say in personnel. That’s Dorseys job.
In the past, Riley would have been someone I would have wanted, especially given his connection to Baker. But having watched the Browns every week, what they need most is a coach that will bring a culture change. They need a coach who will walk into the locker room and demand accountability from everyone. Rivera is probably the best example, and McCarthy would work too if he’s really taken this year to reflect on what went wrong at the end of his Green Bay tenure (which is apparently the case).
The Browns have the talent, so they don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to a potential hire. If they can also get an offensive coordinator that emphasizes the run game (Chubb and Hunt make a terrific pair), that helps too. Kevin Stefanski is doing that perfectly in Minnesota, and he won’t leave unless it’s for a head coaching job, but someone in the mold of him would be great.
I’m not too worried about Baker, since I blame his regression on the offensive line forcing him into quick decisions and Freddie’s tendency to completely ignore the run game. If he (and Monken) are gone, I think that’s addition by subtraction. And the Vikings’ commitment to the run game is helping Cousins out a lot too.
I’ve grown tired of the call for hiring someone to work with Mayfield. If he doesn’t know how to play QB by now, then get another one.
As for saying their defense is fine……no, it isn’t. Wilks has the worst system known to mankind.
Fire Freddie (that sounds like an excellent #), hire a disciplinarian (maybe McCarthy), and let the new coach find some real capable assistants who actually know what they are doing.
I see what you mean about culture but I don’t think it’s a coaches job to change the culture of a club. That’s the owners job or CEO or something. Coaches should be about making calls and helping make players better and obviously making the team better. The culture has sucked on the browns for ages and I don’t think replacing a coach will change that.
I think Riley would be awesome because of the Baker connection and because he has a past of being good offensively which would mean getting the best out of Baker, OBJ and Chubb. Plus the fact he’s a young coach is another thing I like. He would be able to have good relationships with the players and also hang around for a few years to work things out for the browns.
Riley would probably be good for Baker. I think that applies to a couple of coaches though. Baker just needs a coach who’ll run an offense to his strengths.
I don’t know if Riley is a strong enough candidate for that team however. There’s some talent, but also some strong personalities on it.
Like 80% of the coach’s job is to change the culture. The owner and CEO only impact the culture when it’s a toxic situation like Dan Snyder and the Redskins.
The coach is the leader of the team, and that’s who’s responsible for the culture. The Browns are undisciplined and lazy, and that falls on Freddie because he’s let too much slide and he doesn’t hold them accountable. As far as making calls and making players better, that falls on coordinators and position coaches. The coach is in charge of all that and has the final say, but his job is preparing the team and not micromanaging.
They have to get a couch that’s established coach and give player control to him. I hate Rex Ryan but that’s a name out there or Norv Turner. Players wants someone that has experience all you g up and coming coaches should stay away from Cleveland, Jacksonville and even my beloved Cowboys.
Browns should look at Tom C( former vice president of the Jacksonville Jaguars), because they need someone with discipline and knows what he is doing, because one year coaches haven’t been the browns strong point since they came back since 99”, but on the other hand they have fired two of the best coaches in the game( Paul brown and patriots head coach can’t spell the name)
I would prefer the browns move on from Kitchens. He’s just not adapting to anything on offense. And I don’t think he commands the respect from the players. It’s bigger than just calling bad plays and not effectively scheming, it’s his inability to adjust to what’s happening on Sunday’s and during the week… and if I was Monken I would be pissed off too, the guy lit it up calling plays in TB last year and can’t get playcalling duties from Kitchens? He’s sucked it up all year and won’t give up playcalling!? Man I’m just ready for the browns season to end. Can’t handle Chubb getting 5 carries in the first half before Kitchens is reminded at halftime that Chubb is one of the best RBs in the NFL and maybe they should run more since they pass isn’t working (and hasn’t all year for glaringly obvious reasons).
Jags need to let Caldwell go. His draft record so far has been pretty shaky. At least since he’s been GM, and the past few years were a bit unknown since Coughlin also had a large say, but not many of the Jags recent first round picks have panned out (aside from Ramsey, Allen, and maybe Fournette). He’s actually seemed to do a better job with rounds 2-7 than round 1.
Not opposed to Marrone sticking around as I think the players do respect and like him (despite the arguments he’s had on the sideline with players, which happens to plenty of other teams) and he hasn’t exactly had a lot of help from the front office. By no means has Marrone been great, nor should he get an extension, but imo the team’s issues stem more from Coughlin’s over the top discipline and alienation of players, Caldwell’s bad drafting, and poor QB play. Unless they were to bring in a proven HC, like Rivera or McCarthy, I’d rather them just keep Marrone than to try and roll the dice on an inexperienced coordinator or a retread HC.
Marrone has not and does not have a winning record. Marrone QUIT in Buffalo. The Jags can do much better and Mike McCarthy has a winning record and a couple of Super Bowl rings if my memory serves me well. Just look at his record in Green Bay. Admittedly, The Godfather reeked havoc and it’s no wonder that players were extremely happy to leave Jacksonville with Coughlin’s 1950’s mentality.
Time to bring back Sam Rutigliano and re-invent the Kardiac Kids.
If he was dealing with Alzheimers, I’d go with Marty.
Jags need to just clean house. It’s been a rough going as a fan since they joined, and there was so much promise for this team after the 2017 season. But then one bad decision after another, and it just shows all leadership needs to go.
I am firmly with YOU ! Marrone does not have and has not had a winning record. The Triumvirate has had their chance and they should ALL be replaced especually when you have a Mike McCarthy out there who boast a very impressive winning record AND Super Bowl rings to boot. Khan needs to make good on his threats and fire both Cadlwell and Marrone. Do it NOW and get moving on replacements before everybody is gone. Tom Coughlin hand picked Marrone because he wanted to control Marrone with the three yards and a cloud of dust mentality.
First of all, McCarthy has one SB ring, not 2 or even multiple; secondly, Marrone was already there when Coughlan was hired. The Jags were good in 2017 because…Andrew Luck was out for the season, Houston stupidly signed Brock Ostweiler, & Tennessee picked Marcus Marriotta, so by default with a very good, undisciplined defense, Jax won the division & went on a surprising playoff run.