I think Cleveland is now the correct answer to this question. They had an excellent defense a year ago with similar personnel, and they're likely to get better QB play next season -- even standing pat personnel-wise and handing the reins to Hoyer or Campbell would be a significant improvement. And looking longer-term, they've got a few franchise cornerstone guys in place (Gordon, Thomas, etc.). Best of all, after firing a coach after just one season, management will practically be forced to be patient with the next guy.Of the jobs open or likely-to-be-open, what's the best opportunity? I realize Houston is obvious but if Mike Smith goes in Atlanta, that might be the job with the most immediate upside because the QB is already in place.
As always, working for Snyder makes the Washington job the worst job available.
dcmissle said:Per NFLN, Browns players stunned, bewildered and angry about coaching change that could come as early as tonight -- after one year. One player called the organization a joke.
maufman said:I think Cleveland is now the correct answer to this question. They had an excellent defense a year ago with similar personnel, and they're likely to get better QB play next season -- even standing pat personnel-wise and handing the reins to Hoyer or Campbell would be a significant improvement. And looking longer-term, they've got a few franchise cornerstone guys in place (Gordon, Thomas, etc.). Best of all, after firing a coach after just one season, management will practically be forced to be patient with the next guy.
Super Nomario said:Chudzinski was hired 1/10. Lombardi was hired 1/18. Seems like a case of the GM wanting to bring in his own guy.
Lombardi is tacitly admitting that his initial judgment was wrong. He may need to overpay his next coach, but unless he gets cheap all of a sudden, I think he'll be able to hire who he wants.If you're firing a Head Coach after one season - particularly a guy saddled with that QB mess - either your initial evaluation was horribly off or you're impatient and searching for a scapegoat. I see nothing wrong with recognizing a sunk cost and cutting your losses when the circumstances warrant, but I'm just not sure how you could look at the offensive talent Chud had to work with and expect better on-field results. (Haslam is now paying him $9M to go away.) One would have to think that any A-list candidate would be put off by the notion that his predecessor was hired and fired in the same calendar year.
Lombardi didn't hire Chudzinski.maufman said:Lombardi is tacitly admitting that his initial judgment was wrong. He may need to overpay his next coach, but unless he gets cheap all of a sudden, I think he'll be able to hire who he wants.
It could be a Banner / Lombardi power struggle. Lombardi was initally hired as VP of Player Operations and then given the GM title four months later. Who knows what's going on behind the scenes there.CouchsideSteve said:
My understanding is that Joe Banner, who was Haslam's first hire last fall, has final authority on football operations. He actually worked with Lombardi in Philly back in the late-90s, so I think he probably had him top of mind when he was initially cleaning house after last season, even though Chud was technically hired first.
I'd guess Haslam was frustrated and looking to make a statement after the team fell apart down the stretch and Chud was an easy scapegoat that Banner was willing to go along with (we saw a similar reflex from Shad Kahn in JAX last season, firing Mularkey after one year). Of course, Banner can always throw Lombardi under the bus down the road to buy more time for himself.
Jason Cole on 98.5 this morning thinks it's 80% that Josh goes to Cleveland, which is his home town.Jim Lonborg said:Doesn't Lombardi have a man crush on McDaniels?
mascho said:So McDaniels goes to Cleveland and drafts Manziel?
( . ) ( . ) and (_!_) said:
He is sending us 2 firsts and Larry Fitzgerald for Mallet.
dcmissle said:Interesting that whole staff has been clipped in DC. This has happened many times here, and they have often kept staff intact pending the new hire. There have been no leaks here about successor, and this place leaks like a sieve.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10212566/rob-chudzinski-fired-cleveland-browns-head-coach
Cleveland plans to commence its head coaching search immediately, with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt expected to be among the candidates, league sources told Schefter.
H78 said:It looks like Rex may end up being the only one who was on the fringe of being fired that's actually going to make it. I'm amazed that so many teams, with the money owed to some of these guys, are just gutting it now and cutting their losses.
DrewDawg said:Detroit would seem to be a pretty good job, especially for an offensive minded guy. Like, you know, McDaniels.
Occasionaly play calling quirks aside, McDaniels seems like a really good offensive coordinator. Im not sure I want him as the eventual head coach but curious why you dislike him so much.Kenny F'ing Powers said:
Good. Get him the fuck off the Patriots. I'm OK with someone else doing the play calls. Fuck, let Brady be a player coach on the field (not serious, but kind of serious)...
Stitch01 said:Occasionaly play calling quirks aside, McDaniels seems like a really good offensive coordinator. Im not sure I want him as the eventual head coach but curious why you dislike him so much.
He seems like an awful leader though.Stitch01 said:Occasionaly play calling quirks aside, McDaniels seems like a really good offensive coordinator. Im not sure I want him as the eventual head coach but curious why you dislike him so much.
DrewDawg said:Detroit would seem to be a pretty good job, especially for an offensive minded guy. Like, you know, McDaniels.
Stitch01 said:Occasionaly play calling quirks aside, McDaniels seems like a really good offensive coordinator. Im not sure I want him as the eventual head coach but curious why you dislike him so much.
( . ) ( . ) and (_!_) said:
Because everyone is smarter then their team's offensive coordinator and defensive coordinators never, ever make a great call to counter act what offensive coordinators want to do.