Odell Beckham Jr. Undergoes Surgery
Odell Beckham Jr. struggled for much of the 2019 season. Although part of the former Pro Bowler’s issues stemmed from a shaky rapport with Baker Mayfield amid a tough season for the Freddie Kitchens-led offense, Beckham dealt with core muscle discomfort.
It was not certain whether Beckham was set for surgery, but he took care of that issue early in the offseason. The Browns announced their highest-paid player underwent core surgery on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Beckham spent much of this season not running in practice until Fridays. He also dealt with a hip injury but played in all 16 Browns games. OBJ finished with his worst full-season stat line — 74 receptions, 1,035 yards, four touchdowns — and one that was worse than his 12-game showing with the 2018 Giants.
The 27-year-old standout did not participate in most of the Browns’ offseason program last year, but with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer noting Beckham should be expected to recover by late March, he would be on track to be ready for all or part of Cleveland’s OTAs.
Browns Let Several Staffers Go
Since former Mississippi State coworker Joe Judge landed the Giants‘ HC job, Freddie Kitchens has been linked to a staff position. A report circulated Tuesday indicating Judge will hire Kitchens for an unspecified role (Twitter link via AL.com), but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets nothing is finalized between the Giants and the former Browns coach. The Giants have hired a quarterbacks coach, Jerry Schuplinski, but certainly could add the longtime offensive assistant in another capacity.
- While the Kitchens hire is not yet certain, veteran secondary coach Jerome Henderson will be joining Judge’s Giants staff, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets. Most recently the Falcons’ DBs coach/defensive passing-game coordinator, the 50-year-old Henderson has also coached the Jets’, Browns’ and Cowboys’ secondaries dating back to 2008. Henderson was a 1991 first-round pick who played eight NFL seasons.
- The Giants will also add Jody Wright to their staff, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman (Twitter link). Wright worked with Judge at Mississippi State in the 2000s and was most recently an offensive assistant with the Browns under Kitchens in 2019. Wright also spent time at Alabama during the 2010s and was an assistant head coach at UAB prior to relocating to Cleveland.
- On the subject of the Browns, they are not retaining several Kitchens staffers. Most notably, Kevin Stefanski will not bring back quarterbacks coach Ryan Lindley, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Lindley, tight ends coach John Lilly, assistant defensive line coach John Parella and quality control staffers Deuce Schwartz, Tyler Tettleton and Alonso Escalante will not be back. Lindley, 30, served as Browns running backs coach after Kitchens was promoted to OC midway through the 2018 season, and the former quarterback held Cleveland’s QBs coach job this past season.
- The Cardinals hired another recent Browns staffer, bringing in offensive assistant Jim Dray, Yates adds. A former Cardinals seventh-round pick in 2010 as a tight end, Dray played eight seasons — mostly in Arizona and Cleveland — and wound up with the Browns in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach.
- Recently notified he was out in Cleveland, James Campen may have an opportunity with Carolina. The Panthers are interested in the former Browns offensive line coach, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. Campen was Mike McCarthy‘s offensive line coach from 2007-18 and spent 15 years as a Green Bay assistant prior to his Cleveland move last year. The Browns hired Bill Callahan to replace him on Monday.
Browns To Retain Stump Mitchell
- With Bill Callahan set to become the Browns’ offensive line coach, the Giants’ search to fill this position continues. The team will bring in longtime Garrett assistant Marc Colombo for an interview, Jordan Raanan and Todd Archer of ESPN.com report (on Twitter). Colombo will interview on Tuesday, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Given that Colombo worked under Garrett from 2016-19 as Cowboys assistant O-line coach and then O-line coach, it would seem the ex-Cowboys lineman has a good chance of landing this job. The Giants had Callahan on their radar and also interviewed former Judge Pats coworker Dave DeGuglielmo for the position.
- A Joe Woods–Browns partnership looks to be on hold for the time being. While the former Broncos DC and current 49ers secondary coach is expected to become the next Browns DC, no agreement is expected until Super Bowl LIV’s conclusion, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Woods and incumbent Steve Wilks were vying for the job, and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer confirms a Woods-over-Wilks has been made.
- The Browns will retain run-game coordinator Stump Mitchell, Cabot adds. Serving as running backs coach under Freddie Kitchens, Mitchell helped Nick Chubb to 1,494 rushing yards. Chubb’s seven 100-yard games were the most any Browns back has compiled in 51 years, matching Hall of Famer Leroy Kelly‘s 1968 total.
- Kevin Stefanski is also considering retaining DBs coach DeWayne Walker, per Cabot. Walker is a holdover from the Hue Jackson staffs, initially joining the Browns in 2017 after four years as the Jaguars’ secondary coach.
Browns To Hire Bill Callahan As OL Coach
Shortly after his run as Redskins interim head coach ended, Bill Callahan will land on his feet in a familiar role. The Browns are expected to hire Callahan as their next offensive line coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
They will be the fifth team to bring Callahan in as O-line coach, following the Eagles, Jets, Cowboys and Redskins. While Callahan has held higher-profile titles, most notably Raiders head coach, his primary NFL role has been as an O-line instructor.
Callahan will work with new Browns HC Kevin Stefanski for the first time. This takes the 63-year-old assistant out of the running for a Giants job. He was in play for Big Blue’s offensive line coach position, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Former Cowboys boss Jason Garrett was named OC recently. Callahan worked under Garrett as Dallas’ OC from 2012-14 but accepted a job with the Redskins in 2015. He remained with Washington through the end of the 2010s.
Callahan will replace James Campen, who spent one season working as Browns O-line coach. While the Browns’ offensive line struggled in pass protection — namely at tackle — it ranked 11th in adjusted line yards, helping Nick Chubb to a second-place rushing finish.
Browns To Hire George Paton?
The Browns could hire George Paton to be their new GM early this week, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com hears. Though nothing has been finalized, it sounds like the Vikings assistant general manager will be the club’s hire and make his long-awaited move up the ladder. 
Paton has been very picky with interviews in recent years and he was reportedly waffling on whether to even interview for the Browns’ vacancy. On Saturday, he met with team brass and things are apparently moving in a positive direction.
The Browns also interviewed Eagles VP of football operations Andrew Berry and Patriots director of college scouting Monti Ossenfort on Friday. Berry was thought to be the favorite for weeks, due to his familiarity with the organization. Instead, Paton is now expected to take over for John Dorsey and guide the Browns through a critical offseason.
Paton may be a natural fit for a team that just hired longtime Vikings assistant Kevin Stefanski as its head coach. The two men overlapped in Minnesota for 13 years, so they should be well-aligned.
Browns Notes: Paton, Stefanski, Priefer
- The Browns settled on a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, but they’re still searching for a new general manager. One potential candidate is Vikings assistant GM George Paton, but he’s apparently hard to pin down. Paton has been very picky with interviews in recent years, and the Browns still haven’t gotten a firm commitment from him on whether or not he’ll interview, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). It was initially reported that Paton had agreed to interview, but that turned out not to be true. Eagles executive Andrew Berry and Patriots exec Monti Ossenfort are also candidates.
Browns To Hire Joe Woods?
49ers defensive backs coach Joe Woods is on track to become the Browns’ next defensive coordinator, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). All that remains, Schefter hears, is figuring out a contract. 
The Browns, reportedly, were down to Woods and incumbent Steve Wilks as of last week. Today, the Browns told Wilks that he’s out, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets. Barring something unexpected, Woods will get the job.
Woods, 49, has history with new Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski – Woods was a Vikes assistant between 2006-2013. All in all, Woods comes with 16 years of NFL coaching experience for five different teams. Before he hooked on as the Niners’ LBs coach, he spent four years with the Broncos, including two as their DC.
While Woods’ two Broncos defenses were solid, the 49ers’ rise from 23rd to second in pass-defense DVOA has obviously been key to the NFC No. 1 seed’s success. The 49ers’ Richard Sherman-led secondary has become a much better unit compared to last season, when Sherman did not play at a Pro Bowl level. Woods also oversaw the Broncos’ dominant No-Fly Zone secondary that helped the team to a championship in 2015, working under Wade Phillips.
Browns Hire Chad O’Shea As WR Coach; Latest On OC/DC Search
The Browns have hired former Dolphins OC Chad O’Shea as their new WR coach and passing game coordinator, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. O’Shea lasted one year in Miami and drew some criticism for installing an overly complex offense, and he was recently fired in favor of spread offense guru Chan Gailey.
But despite the talent limitations on Miami’s offense, the team did perform reasonably well down the stretch and actually ranked in the top-10 in passing offense and top-15 in scoring offense after Ryan Fitzpatrick reentered the starting lineup in Week 7. As such, O’Shea’s dismissal came as something of a surprise, though recent reports indicated that, while he is an excellent receivers coach, he is not a great coordinator.
O’Shea spent 10 years as the Patriots’ WR coach, so he comes to Cleveland with plenty of experience. He will also have a great deal of talent to work with, and he will be tasked with continuing to get the most out of Jarvis Landry while also helping Odell Beckham Jr. return to prominence. As passing game coordinator, he will also help develop game plans for Baker Mayfield, who struggled in his sophomore campaign but who still has plenty of potential.
As for the Browns’ vacant offensive coordinator post, Rapoport says the team has interest in 49ers passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur and run game coordinator Mike McDaniel. Cleveland had some interest in both men for their head coaching post but never requested interviews with them. The Browns may not request OC interviews either, because San Francisco is unlikely to grant such requests. The Browns may also go without an official OC given new head coach Kevin Stefanski‘s offensive prowess.
Unlike LaFleur and McDaniel, 49ers passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Joe Woods is not under contract through 2020, so he can join the Browns if he so chooses. We recently heard that Cleveland had narrowed its defensive coordinator search to Woods and incumbent Steve Wilks, though Rapoport says Wade Phillips remains a possibility as well.
Arrest Warrant For OBJ Rescinded
The arrest warrant Odell Beckham Jr. drew in New Orleans this week has since been rescinded, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (on Twitter).
The Browns wide receiver allegedly slapping a New Orleans police officer’s buttocks after Monday night’s national championship game prompted the warrant, but NOPD confirmed that is no longer an issue for the 27-year-old standout. While this incident was captured on video and drew a fair amount of attention, it will not lead to an arrest.
In the video, a Superdome police officer is seen exchanging words with an LSU player. Beckham intervened and appears to smack the officer’s rear end. Initially, authorities originally sought a warrant for a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, but it was declined by a judge. A simple battery charge was then on the table. Now, Beckham appears to be in the clear after the officer signed an affidavit indicating he did not want to press charges, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes.
Although Beckham still has much to prove after a disappointing season, he will almost certainly not face any NFL suspension. The 2019 Browns trade acquisition caught 74 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns — career-low figures (by far) in a season in which Beckham played 16 games — and showed little chemistry with Baker Mayfield. Beckham’s 12-game 2018 season produced better numbers. Trade rumors already began to follow the ex-Giants superstar, but Beckham is expected to be one of the key players for Kevin Stefanski‘s first Browns team.
Browns To Interview Rich Scangarello For OC
While working on their GM and defensive coordinator roles, the Browns are now moving along with their offensive coordinator search. New HC Kevin Stefanski plans to interview recently fired Broncos OC Rich Scangarello for the role, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
The interview is expected to take place Monday or Tuesday, per Cabot. The Broncos fired Scangarello less than a week ago, bringing in former Browns HC Pat Shurmur to head up their offense.
Stefanski is expected to call plays in Cleveland but has indicated he is not committed to doing so. Scangarello worked as the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach prior to moving to Denver in a play-calling role. The Broncos’ offense ranked 28th in both points and yards this season, but the first-time NFL OC did not have too much to work with, talent-wise. That would be less of an issue in Cleveland.
Scangarello, 47, oversaw an offense forced to use three quarterbacks due to injury. But the Broncos finished 4-1 once Drew Lock took the reins, and it came as a surprise when Vic Fangio fired his first-year coordinator. Perhaps Scangarello’s most impressive showing, however, came when he helped first-time starter Brandon Allen to a midseason victory over the Browns.
Previous Browns OC Todd Monken recently accepted an offer to become Georgia’s OC. The Browns have used three different offensive coordinators since the start of the 2018 season, going from Todd Haley to Freddie Kitchens to Monken.
The Browns’ 2019 offense, despite being one of the league’s most-hyped units, was a massive disappointment. The Kitchens-orchestrated attack ranked 22nd in both points and yards, frequently prone to mismanagement and failing to fully unleash prized trade acquisition Odell Beckham Jr. Stefanski and the new OC will be tasked with rejuvenating Baker Mayfield, who took a step back after a strong finish to 2018.