Category: Coaching

Eagles hire Browns’ defensive coordinator candidate Sean Desai to replace Jonathan Gannon

Another Browns interviewee has landed another gig.

As the Cleveland Browns sought to replace defensive coordinator Joe Woods earlier this offseason, they were impressed with their interview with Sean Desai. While they opted to hire Jim Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator, Desai has had a tour of interviews elsewhere.

Now, Desai has landed a defensive coordinator gig with the Philadelphia Eagles as they have replaced the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals Jonathan Gannon. Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll confirmed during his media session at the NFL Scouting Combine that Desai is heading to Philadelphia.

With Desai filling the void in Philadelphia, could they let Dennard Wilson leave (the Browns still do not have a defensive passing game coordinator)?

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Could Dennard Wilson still join the Browns after interviewing for DC?

Could the Browns still add one of their DC candidates to their staff?

The Cleveland Browns brought in the current defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dennard Wilson, for an interview when they were searching for a new defensive coordinator. While he did not get the job and the Browns instead hired Jim Schwartz, the door is not shut for him to join the staff in Cleveland.

According to Jared Mueller of Dawgs by Nature, Wilson could still be on the Browns’ radar as they look to replace Jeff Howard as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. The Eagles have been interviewing external candidates galore since Jonathan Gannon was hired by the Arizona Cardinals, and this may not be sitting well with Wilson.

If he does not get the defensive coordinator gig with the Eagles, similar to Bubba Ventrone getting passed up for interim head coach in Indianapolis, this could cause Wilson to look elsewhere. And he has a link to Cleveland.

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Blast from the past: Looking back at Bubba Ventrone’s career in Cleveland

Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

The Cleveland Browns turned to one of their former players as they swapped out Mike Priefer for Bubba Ventrone as their special teams coordinator this week. After five seasons as the special teams coordinator with the Colts, and with the majority of those years coordinating a top-five unit, Ventone now looks to leave a massive stamp in Cleveland as he will also carry the title of assistant head coach.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane at Ventrone’s time in Cleveland as a player from 2009 to 2012.

While Ventrone never started a game at safety for the Browns in his four years, he did get some defensive snaps, resulting in two hits on the quarterback. Most of Ventrone’s contributions, however, came as a special teams ace where he racked up 39 solo tackles, forced one fumble, and recovered another in his time.

He then went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers for two years before hanging up his cleats. We look forward to what this former special teams ace can do as he runs the unit in Cleveland now.

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Get to know new special teams coordinator Raymond “Bubba” Ventrone

Get to know the Browns’ newest coach.

On Thursday the Cleveland Browns officially hired former Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone. The team officially hired him as their special teams coordinator as well as a promotion to assistant head coach. Ventrone has aspirations to become a head coach someday and this promotion will help him get there.

A well-respected coach around the NFL that has coached one of the better units in the league over the past few seasons. You can tell when your team hires a good coach when the fan base for the team he is leaving is upset to see him leave, a good sign for the Browns.

Let’s get to know the newest coach for the Cleveland Browns.

 

What coaching staff positions are currently vacant in Cleveland?

The Browns have a handful of coaching vacancies, and that is a good thing.

The Cleveland Browns have had an underwhelming two seasons since making the playoffs in 2020. And the rubber has finally met the road with their coaching staff as they look to get back into postseason contention in 2023. They fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods right at the end of the season, replacing him with Jim Schwartz. They have since fired special teams coordinator Mike Priefer as well.

They have had a few more openings on their coaching staff come open as well this offseason, and we take a look here at exactly how many coaching slots they have left to fill as the NFL Scouting Combine and free agency approach.

Could the Browns reunite with a former player to replace Mike Priefer?

Could the Browns turn to a former safety as their new special teams coordinator?

The Cleveland Browns now have another vacancy on their coaching staff as they look to hire a new special teams coordinator. After parting ways with Mike Priefer after three seasons, the Browns now turn in a different direction. Given how late in the offseason this firing was, there is reason to believe the Browns were waiting out teams that hired new head coaches to see if they would retain their current special teams coordinators. One of those teams was the Indianapolis Colts, who hired former Browns staffer Shane Steichen. The special teams coordinator in Indianapolis? Former Browns safety Bubba Ventrone.

Could the Browns turn back to a former player who has been a rising star as a special teams coordinator with the Colts? He even interviewed for their head coaching gig this offseason. This would be a slam dunk hire for the Browns, and they could even name him associate head coach as well.

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Former Browns assistant Adam Henry joins the Bills coaching staff

Henry was an assistant in 2018 and 2019.

Former Cleveland Browns wide receivers coach Adam Henry will coach the Buffalo Bills wide receivers next season. Henry was brought to Cleveland in 2018 after he had coached both Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham in college at LSU. In 2019 when Beckham came to Cleveland fans were hopeful Henry could get the dynamic duo going again.

But 2019 ended in disaster under former head coach Freddie Kitchens when the team went 6-10 and cleaned house after the season. Henry has coached several different teams in the NFL and college and now gets work with a solid group in Buffalo led by Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.

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Browns would be wise to retain LB coach Jason Tarver

As they look to replace their DBs and DL coaches, the Browns would be wise to retain an assistant who actually earned his worth.

The Cleveland Browns are experiencing a good bit of turnover in their defensive coaching staff. After the hiring of Jim Schwartz as the new defensive coordinator last month, two staffers have since departed for other gigs as Jeff Howard has taken the linebackers coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers and Chris Kiffin is taking over the linebacker coaching job with the Houston Texans. As they look to replace their openings, openings that were more than likely created intentionally as the Browns granted these guys the opportunity to interview elsewhere while under contract, Schwartz would be wise to retain linebackers coach Jason Tarver.

3 potential defensive assistants that could reunite with Jim Schwartz in Cleveland

Who could the new DC add to his staff?

The Cleveland Browns acting quickly this offseason to get their new defensive coordinator, hiring Jim Schwartz almost one month ago. Now both defensive backs coach Jeff Howard and defensive line coach Chris Kiffin have moved on leaving Schwartz the chance to add some of his guys to the staff.

The former Detroit Lions head coach has a long career and has worked with a bunch of talented coaches in his time in the league. I have three names that worked with Schwartz in Philadelphia when he was the defensive coordinator that he may pursue to come to Cleveland with him for the 2023 season.

Jim Schwartz ready to bring the attack defensively

How does the veteran coach describe his scheme?

Last Thursday, new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz joined Cleveland Browns Daily to talk about his plans defensively. One quote that stood out from the interview was when he talked about the tempo on the defensive and taking it to the opposing offense.

“I like to call it an attack defense. We’re not a read team up front. We’re an attack team. We’re going to be disruptive. We’re hitting spots. It’s probably not as wide as it use to be, but it’s pretty simple in theory. It allows the players to play fest and puts them in the best position to rush the quarterback and play the run in between.”

This quote might be the biggest indication of the change in philosophy the Browns’ defense will undergo this offseason. Joe Woods’s scheme is very much a bend don’t break defense that forces offenses to take long drives in hope of forcing mistakes. Schwartz wants to bring it to the opposing offense and put pressure on quarterbacks to make decisions and make them quickly.

It isn’t a scheme that utilizes a lot of blitzing just a lot of creativity on the defensive line to create pressure with the front four. Step one in making this dream a reality is fixing the defensive tackle room with free agency set to start next month.

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