Browns, Todd Haley Nearing Deal
The Browns are close to an agreement to make Todd Haley the team’s new offensive coordinator, according to a league source who spoke withPat McManamon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
Haley boasts eight years of offensive coordinator experience, broken up by nearly three seasons as the Chiefs’ head coach. He has spent the last six seasons as the Steelers’ OC and the on-field results have been largely tremendous. Over the past four seasons, the Steelers were second in NFL scoring behind only the Patriots.
Off the field, however, is a different story. Haley has been in the papers for the wrong reasons as of late, including a frosty relationship with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a scuffle on New Year’s Eve that left him with a shattered pelvis. The Browns have dealt with their fair share of headaches from players, but they apparently feel comfortable with the fact that Haley
Before zeroing in on Haley, Cleveland interviewed former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo and Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan for the job. Hue Jackson has gone without an OC the past two seasons and the results have been worse than any other two-year span in league history.
Updated 2018 NFL Draft Order
With the conference championship games in the books, we now know the draft order for 30 of the first round’s 32 picks. Here’s the rundown:
1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)
2. New York Giants (3-13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)
4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)
5. Denver Broncos (5-11)
6. New York Jets (5-11)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
8. Chicago Bears (5-11)
T-9. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
T-9. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) (Note: The Raiders and 49ers have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broken by a coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 9 and the other club receiving the No. 10 pick.)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)
13. Washington Redskins (7-9)
14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)
15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
20. Detroit Lions (9-7)
21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)
23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
31. (New England Patriots (13-3) or Philadelphia Eagles (13-3))
32. (New England Patriots (13-3) or Philadelphia Eagles (13-3))
Browns Interviewed Thomas McGaughey
- Before accepting a new position with the Giants, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey interviewed with the Browns, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Cleveland ultimately selected former Cardinals ST coach Amos Jones over McGaughey, who’s also coordinated special teams units for the Jets and 49ers.
Browns Interview Todd Haley For OC Job
The Browns continue to search for an offensive coordinator, with multiple recent head coaches on the team’s short list for the position.
One high-profile coordinator is as well. Todd Haley and the Browns have discussed this job, with Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reporting the sides are engaged in “serious talks” about the role. Haley has formally interviewed for the post (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal).
The Steelers let Haley’s contract expire after their season ended, and the two sides are going their separate ways after six seasons together. The Browns have obviously not enjoyed a similar kind of consistency on their staff but are set to change their offensive coaching arrangement.
Cleveland’s interviewed Ben McAdoo and Sean Ryan for the job, and Mike Mularkey is a consideration as well. Hue Jackson has gone without an OC the past two seasons, which have been worse than any other two-year run in NFL history.
The 50-year-old Haley has been an offensive coordinator for eight seasons, with his Cardinals run ending with a narrow Super Bowl loss to the Steelers and providing a springboard for Haley to catch on as the Chiefs’ head coach. After the Kansas City tenure did not go especially well, Haley helped Ben Roethlisberger to his best statistical seasons. Over the past four years, the Steelers were second in cumulative offense — behind only the Patriots. And Haley’s overseen the work of two of the game’s best players in Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell.
While Ryan would prefer to call plays, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the Texans’ QBs coach might not be viewed as experienced enough to do so over Jackson. However, Cabot adds Haley’s extensive run as a play-caller would probably induce Jackson to give him the keys to the 2018 Browns’ offense, if hired.
Exec Expects Browns To Take Josh Allen
The Browns have again landed the No. 1 pick, and after years of stalling, the franchise is expected to try its hand at a first-round quarterback again. But a third name might be creeping into the race alongside Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projects (Insider link) Josh Allen to be the name called to go to Cleveland at No. 1, and a “high-level personnel executive” concurs. The NFL exec told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com he expects John Dorsey to take Allen at No. 1 overall, and this anonymous decision-maker likens the Wyoming product to a young Ben Roethlisberger. Although, Rosen and Darnold — prior to the workout season — are viewed as readier prospects to run an NFL offense. Cabot notes the same exec told her two years ago the Browns would be set up for 15 years if they were to take Carson Wentz. A three-quarterback pursuit for said No. 1 pick, coupled with the anticipated plethora of available passers on the free agency and trade markets, would make this one of the more interesting offseasons in modern NFL history.
- Ben McAdoo remains in the running for the Browns’ OC position, Cabot reports. Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan also interviewed for the post, but Cabot reports Ryan wants to call plays. She adds the Browns might not give him that opportunity due to a lack of experience doing so but notes McAdoo may get that chance since he’s done so previously. Mike Mularkey remains on the radar for this job as well, but Cabot notes he has yet to interview. ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported McAdoo is taking his time in making a decision about where he lands.
- The Browns finishing the process of hiring an OC without meeting with ex-Steelers play-caller Todd Haley would make for a big surprise, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. Haley’s also been connected to the Jets’ OC job.
Coaching Rumors: Cardinals, McAdoo, Fins
The Cardinals interviewed two more head coach candidates today, but the search will continue into next week, according to Kent Somers of AZCentral Sports. The Cardinals have met with Steve Wilks and Keith Armstrong twice and will not need to interview current defensive coordinator James Bettcher another time because of his history with the organization. The team will also interview John DeFilippo and Brian Flores next week, per Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com (Twitter link).
In addition, Somer states that the team could look at giving Jim Schwartz a second interview, but Jurecki did not mention the Eagles defensive coordinator in his tweet. The search is mostly continuing because both the Eagles and Patriots will be playing in their respective conference championships, so depending on how the games shake out, Arizona could resolve their head coaching search by the end of next week.
Finally, Somers importantly notes that former Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has recommended Bettcher and Armstrong among this pool of coaches the front office is considering.
Here are more a coaching notes from around the NFL:
- In more Cardinals coaching staff news, now two former staffers have now left for new opportunities, reports Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). In addition to former special teams coordinator Amos Jones moving onto the same position with the Browns, former wide receiver coach Darryl Drake has been hired by the Steelers.
- Hue Jackson is adding an offensive coordinator to his staff and have interviewed former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo for the job. He interviewed with the Browns three days ago and apparently “It went fine”, a Browns source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson adds that the source mentioned that they are “Just not going to rush into anything” after speaking to two candidates as of right now. Cleveland is also interviewing a high profile college coach in LSU’s RB coach Tommy Robinson for the same position on their staff, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- The Dolphins announced a slew of coaching moves today. The biggest apart from Dowell Loggains being brought on as offensive coordinator is former OC Clyde Christensen being reassigned as the team’s new director of football and player development. Shawn Jefferson was wide receivers coach, but will now be an assistant head coach working with the offense. They are also are promoting Ben Johnson to WR coach. He got experience with this group of players as an assistant WR coach last season.
- The Bears have named Brock Olivo as the team’s new assistant special teams coach, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Olivo was the Broncos’ special teams coordinator last year and was with Matt Nagy on the Chiefs’ staff from 2014-16 as an assistant to special teams coordinator Dave Toub. He previously was a former running back for the Lions back in his playing days.
- The Texans have promoted Anthony Midget to the team’s secondary coach, according to Mark Berman of Fox26 (Twitter link). Berman also notes that they have also hired Danny Barrett as the RB coach and Tracy Smith as an assistant special teams coach.
NFL Workout Updates: 1/19/18
Here are today’s workout updates from around the NFL with all credit going to Howard Balzer’s Twitter account.
Cleveland Browns
- LB Nick Moody (Twitter link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- P A.J. Hughes (Twitter link)
Browns’ Joe Thomas Discusses Future
Browns tackle Joe Thomas is still undecided about whether he wants to play in 2018. However, he plans on letting the team know his plans sooner rather than later. 
“I don’t think there’s any real rush at this point,” he told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Obviously, they want to know before the draft and free agency, so that if they have make different plans if I’m not going to be there, they want to know about it. I told them I’ll make a decision when I’m ready and let them know and give them as much time as I possibly can.”
The Browns gave Thomas a $3MM raise in November which would make him the league’s highest paid offensive lineman in 2018 at a $13.5MM salary. Thomas is due to collect on a $3MM bonus on March 18, but Thomas seems to be indicating that he’ll notify the team in advance of the legal tampering period on March 12.
In 2017, a torn triceps tendon ended Thomas’ NFL-record streak of 10,363 snaps, but that’s not the injury that has him on the fence about playing. Instead, Thomas says its his lingering knee and back issues that have him thinking about walking away.
If Thomas does take the field in 2018, he won’t rule out the possibility of continuing his career into 2019.
“I’m not ready to say anything definitively because I’d hate to be wrong,” he said. “Because I’ve seen how a lot of other guys’ careers has ended. I grew up in Wisconsin a Brett Favre fan and I’ve seen how many times he was definitely not going to come play and then he played for the Jets and the Vikings. So I don’t want to say anything definitively. I don’t know. It’s hard to say. But what I can say is this is my last year on my contract in Cleveland. I don’t want to play anywhere else. I guess I haven’t thought that far yet.”
In previous interviews, Thomas indicated that he would be more inclined to play next year if the Browns were positioned to win. The veteran is of the belief that the Browns at least have a chance at a turnaround season.
“Honestly, the way I look at 2018 for the Browns is $100MM in cap space, the first and the fourth pick,” he said. “If you look back historically, if you added two guys in free agency that were both $25MM a year, you could assume that they’re probably Hall of Fame-caliber. Then you add a first pick and a fourth pick who presumably could be Hall of Fame guys, or more likely probably Pro Bowl guys, you’ve now added four blue chip players to your roster. Now you’re totally transformed your team.”
Browns Land New ST Coordinator
- For the first time since 2010, someone other than Chris Tabor will oversee the Browns‘ ST units. Amos Jones will relocate to Cleveland to take over as the team’s special teams boss, Marvez tweets. Jones coached the Cardinals’ ST groups during Bruce Arians‘ five-year stay in Arizona. Tabor is now the Bears’ ST coordinator.
Browns Notes: Mularkey, Luper
The Browns are “in discussions” with former Titans head coach Mike Mularkey regarding their offensive coordinator vacancy, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. Mularkey, who was fired by Tennessee on Monday, was loosely connected to Cleveland yesterday, with reports indicating Hue Jackson & Co. would be interested in Mularkey if he were to come available. As of yet, the Browns have not set up a formal interview with Mularkey, but such a meeting could soon occur. Mularkey would become the third definitive candidate for Cleveland’s OC job, joining Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan and former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo. A three-time head coach, Mularkey has coordinated offenses for the Steelers, Dolphins, and Falcons.
- Mularkey isn’t the only coach in whom the Browns are interested, as Cleveland has also interviewed TCU co-offensive coordinator Curtis Luper for their running backs coach position, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. If hired, Luper would replace Kirby Wilson, who was fired last week after two seasons with the Browns. Luper, 56, has never coached at the NFL level, but has worked in NCAA roles since 1995, with stops including New Mexico, Oklahoma State, and Auburn. He’s been at TCU since 2013, and was promoted from RBs coach to co-offensive coordinator in 2017.