6 Candidates to Become the Cleveland Browns Head Coach

While several more teams may join in on the hunt for a new head coach in the coming weeks, the Cleveland Browns are already looking. Here is a look at, and some thoughts on the potential candidates to become the next head coach of the Browns: 

Lincoln Riley

Making Lincoln Riley the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns looks to be by far the best option at this point. Baker Mayfield is their future, but he is a quarterback that not every coach knows how to use or can handle. His former coach at Oklahoma solves both of these worries. Riley projects to follow the path of Sean McVay and Frank Reich as a new, innovative coach ready to take the NFL by storm. Of course, getting Riley will be a challenge. He has a good spot with Sooners and will be sought after by several NFL teams with openings including potentially Green Bay. The future is bright in Cleveland and would be even brighter with Lincoln Riley in charge.

Bruce Arians

Bruce Arians has said the Browns are the only team he would consider returning to the NFL for. Whether or not that is true, there should be mutual interest. Arians would be very beneficial to Mayfield’s growth. He showed what he can do for a young quarterback with Andrew Luck. Arians does come with some level of concern including clashing with Mayfield. Another concern is age. He is 66 years old, and it may make sense for the Browns to pair this young roster with a coach who will be there long term. With that said, Arians would still be a B-level signing for the Browns.

Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels would be a terrific fit for the Browns’ up-and-coming roster. McDaniels still has a ton to prove as a head coach from his time in Denver. But all the evidence from his time in New England indicates he is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. McDaniels will instantly have the respect of the locker room as they know how much New England did not want to lose him last season to the Colts. Perhaps, the best way for the players in Cleveland to be utilized to their best abilities is by having McDaniels calling the shots.

Ian Rapoport touched on the possibility:

Mike McCarthy

Mike McCarthy would be a bad fit for the Browns. He is out of touch, and likely would halt the growth of several key players. With that said, he has constantly been rumored to the Browns and may just be the favorite to get the job. McCarthy does already have connections with this organization by having worked with the general manager John Dorsey and executives Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith. It would be an easy transition, and at least the ones above the players would be on the same page.

I highly recommend the Browns look elsewhere, but they probably won’t.

Zac Taylor

The name Zac Taylor keeps on coming up when it comes to the Browns next head coach. And it makes sense. The quarterback coach of the Rams has worked closely with Sean McVay who thinks highly of him. And anything he has learned from McVay projects to gold in today’s NFL. The only worry here is that he lacks experience and this would be a big jump for a guy who was only a wide receiver coach two years ago.

The early odds show that may not be a concern for the Browns:

John DeFilippo