The Browns are set to meet with Josh McDaniels today. The Patriots offensive coordinator also brought his wife Laura along with him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), which could be an indication that McDaniels is poised to land the head coaching job. 
The Browns don’t necessarily have to rush to make a hire, but they’ve reportedly aiming to make a hire by Saturday. McDaniels is the last of three candidates to interview this week, and it’s believed that the hire will ultimately come from that trio of the Pats OC, Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski, and Eagles DC Jim Schwartz.
The search is being spearheaded by Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, who has a good relationship with Schwartz. However, the final decision will be made by owner Jimmy Haslam, and McDaniels is a northeast Ohio native with an impressive resume.
McDaniels, 43, has interviewed with the Browns twice before. He met with the Browns during previous owner Randy Lerner‘s tenure in 2009, before the team hired Eric Mangini. McDaniels withdrew his name from consideration after interviewing in 2014, when current owner Jimmy Haslam was in charge. Before he bowed out in ’14, he was believed to be the favorite.
Kinda seems like a coronation. If McDaniels wants the job, does any realistically see the Browns going with someone else?
Or….they’ve been working behind the scenes to build a staff for McDaniels with Schwartz as the DC for either Josh, or Stefanski if McDaniels turns them down.
Schwartz is already a DC. Lateral moves are not permitted, unless the team he’s currently with allows it, which the Eagles don’t appear to be.
At least that’s my understanding of how it works.
I think that’s accurate, but even if he could move laterally, why would he want to go work for a team that would have passed him over for the head coaching job?
I think your understanding is correct
Could they make Swartz DC and assistant HC and get around that?
Would still need permission
I don’t think that is exactly correct. Teams can deny request an interview for a lateral position, but cannot deny interview for higher position. But there have been cases of interviewing for promotion, and then offered job for lateral. They can’t stop someone from quitting and taking a lateral job.
I live near Philly and the word is that Swartz may be let go anyway (or allowed to lateral) – why would he do it? Cuz that is where he started perhaps?
All they have to do is add the title of assistant head coach to it and he can keep the DC title
His contract is expiring after this season, so they can just wait until the eagles are out of the playoffs if he wants the job. He was an assistant under belicjeck for the old browns
I just read he’s under contract for the 2020 season.
Schwartz would wear out his welcome as a HC in 10 minutes.
Of course Haslam has to consult for the all important input from a man in the street before he makes his final decision.
That was the guy that signed off on drafting J Manzel right?
It would be a good move for McDaniels to take the job. He’ll get paid a lot of money and regardless of the team’s performance, he’ll get fired in a year or two by Haslem and be free to go back to New England.