Report: Paul DePodesta to Head Browns Coaching Search

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cleveland Browns have put Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta in charge of their head coaching search. Interviews begin Thursday.

The Cleveland Browns have decided that Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta will be running their head coaching search, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. DePodesta, seemingly a major beneficiary of the fallout from John Dorsey leaving the organization, is being put into a position to make a bigger impact on the organization.

The job title for Paul DePodesta — #Browns chief strategy officer — has not changed, but after a few days of mixed messages to candidates from the organization, DePodesta is now the one running the head coach hiring process for the Haslams, source said. Should be more directed.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 1, 2020

DePodesta was a proponent of hiring Sean McDermott when ownership picked Hue Jackson to be the head coach and most recently was a booster for Kevin Stefanski, the current offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, when the Browns went with Freddie Kitchens. Seemingly an acknowledgement that DePodesta was right before, so they should listen to him now, this at least ostensibly looks like it improves the chances the Browns will go with Stefanski this year.

The team is also slated to talk to New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman. McCarthy is supposed to be the first, happening Thursday. The team is planning to speak with Saleh this weekend.

It may have been a clunky ride to get to this point and the team could certainly screw this up in spectacular fashion, but they at least seem unwilling to allow themselves to ignore DePodesta a third time, now putting him in the driver's seat on their coaching search.