Report: Josh McDaniels Wouldn't Take Browns' HC Job if Josh Dorsey Was Still GM

The same report suggests McDaniels would be eager to work with Baker Mayfield.

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels seems to be a match made in heaven for the Cleveland Browns organization. As a team that desperately needs stability at the head coaching position, McDaniels, an Ohio native, could provide just that by bringing a Patriot-esque philosophy to Cleveland. That is why the Browns appear to be generating an ideal situation too coerce McDaniels to become their next head coach, which includes firing their General Manager.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, a league source told her that McDaniels would not have taken the Cleveland job if John Dorsey was still their GM "largely because he knows how vital the coach-GM is, and will likely want to work with his own guy."

Cabot also said that McDaniels loved Browns QB Baker Mayfield when he came out of Oklahoma in 2018, and would be eager to work with him in Cleveland. As one source put it to her, "it would be hard for (McDaniels) to say no" to what the Browns have in place.

It remains to be seen or heard whether McDaniels will even take a heading coaching position after this season. The Patriots are about to take on the Titans this weekend in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, so his focus is solely on how his struggling offense can produce against a red-hot Tennessee team. But the potential departure of the long-tenured OC in New England is heating up, and it looks to be trending towards McDaniels winding up in Cleveland. 

On Wednesday, it was reported by Jim McBride of The Boston Globe that the Patriots granted permission to the Panthers, Browns and Giants to interview McDaniels for their head-coaching vacancies. They also granted permission for the Giants to speak with special teams/wide receivers Joe Judge, who has been with the Patriots for eight seasons. Now, we must wait to hear when those interviews will take place and what the outcome is of those interviews.