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Pressure Mounts For Browns' John Dorsey After Failed Coaching Hire

Jimmy Haslam (l) will rely on Dorsey to hire his second head coach in as many yearsgetty images

The Browns fired coach Freddie Kitchens following a 6-10 campaign in his lone season, and now GM John Dorsey "must make the move that he should have made last season and find a well-seasoned coach to shepherd this roster brimming with untapped potential and colorful yet unbridled personalities," according to Mike Jones of USA TODAY. Dorsey now finds himself "entering his third offseason with the team and again hitting the reset button." Dorsey "got misled by the flashes Kitchens displayed" last season in an eight-game stint as a first-time play-caller. His credibility "takes a hit because of his lack of discernment in this area." Although Dorsey "may do an admirable job of acquiring player talent, he hasn't proved himself capable of identifying the same when it comes to coaches" (USA TODAY, 12/30). In Akron, Marla Ridenour writes Dorsey "proved to be the same poor judge of a team leader as owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and previous owners Randy Lerner and his late father, Al Lerner" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 12/30).

NEW WAY OF THINKING? In Cleveland, Mary Kay Cabot notes the Browns' coaching search "will undoubtedly be a collaborative effort among the powers-that-be, but it remains to be seen if Dorsey will have final say this time, like he did with Kitchens." Browns Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta "could have more say this time around, and it remains to be seen what that means for Dorsey and his top lieutenants," Assistant GM Eliot Wolf and VP/Player Personnel Alonzo Highsmith. A source said that there is "still a disconnect in the building between DePodesta's analytics side and Dorsey's football side," and it "could come to a head as they embark on this search" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 12/30).

MUSICAL CHAIRS: NBC SPORTS' Peter King notes the Haslams "hated firing Kitchens because they hate what it says." The Browns are "about to employ their ninth coach in 12 years, and nothing good comes from having an organizational circus like that." King: "They know it. But that's how bad the Kitchens experience was" (NBCSPORTS.com, 12/30). THE RINGER's Danny Heifetz wrote Kitchens's firing was "not a surprise, but it does leave the Browns in the all too familiar spot of starting over." It is also "impossible not to look upward into the owner's box," as the Haslams have "employed five general managers in just over seven years of owning the team" (THERINGER.com, 12/29). 

DORSEY'S SECOND CHANCE: THE ATHLETIC's Jason Lloyd noted the Browns "crave stability, but that wasn't enough reason to give Kitchens another chance." It is, however, "reason enough to keep Dorsey." His first shot at hiring a head coach was a "magnificent disaster, but he still has done more good than bad." Lloyd: "Throwing him out, too, could set the franchise back years" (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/29). In Cleveland, Terry Pluto noted the Browns front office gave Kitchens "some very strong personalities" in QB Baker Mayfield and WR Odell Beckham Jr. to handle in his rookie season. Pluto: "But I still like the John Dorsey front office. I want them to stay in place, but also stay away from too much risk-taking with character issues." The "last thing the Browns need is to blow up everything from the front office to the coaching staff." Dorsey has had "more good drafts than bad, dating back to his time" with the Chiefs. He "deserves the chance to keep working on the roster" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 12/29).

SOMETHING CHANGED: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports Kitchens was "certainly someone who believed that the organization had his back." Kitchens had "several meetings in recent days, in recent weeks, with Jimmy Haslam that had given him an indication that things were going to move on to next year." But NFL Network's Tom Pelissero notes there had been "rumblings throughout the season about the Browns being disorganized behind the scenes, about them being undisciplined." Pelissero: "You saw that in the brawl against the Steelers. You saw that when Kitchens wore the ‘Pittsburgh started it’ T-shirt and said that he would wear it again" ("Good Morning Football," NFL Network, 12/30). NBCSN's Mike Florio said, "A lot of the stuff he was doing wrong any kid that plays Madden knows you shouldn’t do. There were mistakes at every level, fundamental stuff and stupid errors of judgement like wearing the ‘Pittsburgh started it’ T-shirt to the movies after Thanksgiving. Who does that?” (“Pro Football Talk,” NBCSN, 12/30). ESPN's Mina Kimes: "The Browns just need an adult. That’s really what they need. ... They just need someone to come in, clean up, be an adult and fix the culture, because the talent is there. It’s actually a very attractive job” (“Get Up,” ESPN2, 12/30).

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