DeMeco Ryans gives a thumbs-up as he arrives at NRG Stadium in Houston for an NFL football news conference formally announcing him as the new head coach of the Houston Texans, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Cleveland Browns are prepared to interview Jerrod Johnson, the Houston Texans’ quarterback coach.
The Houston Texans were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs, allowing their coaches to interview for future coaching vacancies. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cleveland Browns aim to interview Texans quarterback coach Jerrod Johnson for the post of offensive coordinator.
Johnson is one of the youngest contenders available, at 35 years old. Johnson, a former Texas A&M quarterback, has played in a variety of professional leagues, including the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, and Dallas Cowboys. He began coaching as part of the Bill Wlash Diversity Coaching Fellowship, first with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and later with the Indianapolis Colts in 2019. The Colts then hired him as a quality control coach for their offense.
In 2022, the Minnesota Vikings hired him as their assistant quarterbacks coach. This past season, the Houston Texans hired him to train their quarterbacks. C.J. Stroud’s success in his rookie year only serves to highlight Johnson, but he was seen as a rising star when he initially joined the Texans.
Johnson was a big, powerful quarterback in his own right, standing roughly 6’5″ and weighing 250 pounds while playing. That may provide him with more insight into assisting a quarterback like Stroud. It may also be effective in developing an offense around Deshaun Watson.
The New Orleans Saints are also scheduled to interview Johnson for the post of offensive coordinator, perhaps replacing Pete Carmichael, who was let go. The potential of Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik being hired as a team’s head coach adds another wrinkle to the scenario. At that point, he might be in line to become the Texans’ offensive coordinator, allowing him to continue working with Stroud. He might possibly follow Slowik and serve as offensive coordinator for the team where he eventually becomes head coach.
Johnson is the most recent name to be discussed for the Browns offensive coordinator position. They’ve also allegedly spoken with former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, former Carolina Panthers associate head coach Duce Staley, and Seattle Seahawks offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.
The Browns may also be waiting for more teams to vacate the playoffs so they may interview more applicants. So far, the most common thread among candidates for possible assistants on the Browns staff has been age. The Browns have reportedly interviewed candidates as elderly as 48. The Browns look to be focusing on bringing in younger coaches.
Things I Think I Know About The Browns: Staff Shake-Up Is A Good Sign, Defense Must Evolve, and JOK Extension Earned
Why the Cleveland Browns’ offensive staff shake-up is a good indication, how the defense needs to evolve after a successful season, and why Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah’s terrific season deserves an extension.
The Cleveland Browns were eliminated from the playoffs in the wild card round by the Houston Texans, 45-14. It was an unsuitable conclusion for a team that had overcome so much on its route to an 11-6 regular season.
This offseason will be key as the Browns seek to capitalize on their success in 2023-24.
They did not wait long to make some changes, as they have parted company with running backs coach and run game coordinator Stump Mitchell, tight ends coach TC McCartney, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
The Browns invited former Carolina Panthers running backs coach to interview for their open running back job, and Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports that they will make him an offer. They will face competition, however, since the Jets have also made an offer to Staley.
Some appealing offensive coaching candidates are available on the coaching market, and it will be interesting to see which route head coach Kevin Stefanski chooses. Whether or whether he intends to keep the offensive play-calling responsibility may influence which applicants are interested in the offensive coordinator position in Cleveland.
In this week’s ‘Things I Think I Know About The Browns,’ we look at why the coaching changes are a good sign for the future, how the defense needs to improve this offseason, and why Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s outstanding season should win him an extension.
Why is an offensive coaching shake-up a good sign?
Some were surprised by the Browns’ decision to replace three offensive assistant coaches after an 11-6 season in which Stefanski deserves Coach of the Year honors.
Stefanski’s choice to make changes around him after four years with the same staff, on the other hand, bodes well for the future.
Without Nick Chubb, the Browns were unable to sustain an efficient run game this season. Stefanski and company could have easily cited offensive line injuries and Chubb’s departure as the primary reasons for decreased performance, but Stefanski was willing to make the difficult decision and pursue true offensive improvement regardless of who was on the field.
The run game coordinator was 64-year-old Stump Mitchell, and while Mitchell is a class act and well-liked by the players, the Browns fell short when it came to finding methods to get the run game going late in the season.
It is not a stretch to speculate that a lack of answers in the run game may prompt Stefanski to seek out a coach with expertise of more cutting-edge tactics and philosophies who may assist the Browns in improving their rushing assault heading into the new season.
They must also find a way to combine the play-action game that worked so effectively for Joe Flacco with the shotgun game that Deshaun Watson enjoys. Some innovation in that area, notably an increase in pre-snap motion utilization, may be accomplished with new eyes and ideas on the offensive staff.
Job one is to ensure Watson’s success in the Browns’ offense moving forward, and some additional experience working with similar-style quarterbacks on the staff could also be beneficial.
In the NFL, teams must continually adapt and evolve. Stefanski realizes that, despite his success this year, the offensive has room to improve, which is a great indication.
Brown’s defense must build on its success.
The Browns’ defense improved substantially under Schwartz this season, and their newfound identity on that side of the ball was well appreciated.
However, it became evident that they needed answers for what the Texans and Bobby Slowik threw at them during Wild Card Weekend. The Texans put pressure on the Browns horizontally and exploited their aggressiveness.
The Browns will need to build on what they did well this season by finding new methods to slow down opponents, particularly those who apply the same ideas that beat them this year.
Again, it appears that some staffing changes are in the works. Schwartz, shockingly, retained several of the incumbent defense coaches after his hiring.
With Mike Vrabel’s firing having torn up the Tennessee Titans staff, he is expected to bring in some recognizable names. Schwartz updated some of his coverages based on what he saw in Tennessee, but he needs to take a step farther.
The Browns’ defense does not need to change who they are, but it does require more choices when opponents have answers for their “A” stuff. More pressure isn’t always the answer, and this summer, the defense must evolve into a unit capable of defeating you in multiple ways.
JOK’s excellent season should earn him an extension.
Owusu-Koramoah recorded a career-high 761 snaps in 2023-24, putting together a breakout season. He had 101 total tackles, two interceptions, 3.5 sacks, and a whopping 20 tackles for loss.
He embraced his job in Schwartz’s defense, playing downhill and with exceptional pace. His awareness of how to assess run plays and the angles to follow the ball carrier increased this season, and he popped off the screen anytime the Browns’ defense came on.
He was passed over for a Pro Bowl selection primarily because of the NFL’s illogical classification of its positions for the award. However, owing to a late-season injury to Pittsburgh Steelers Outside Linebacker or EDGE rusher T.J. Watt, Owusu-Koramoah will make his first Pro Bowl appearance, which is well-deserved.
This offseason, the Browns should attempt to extend Owusu-Koramoah’s rookie contract, which only has one season remaining. He has immediately proven to be a unique player. In a position where it is typically difficult to identify true difference-makers, he has done just that, and the Browns should try to make him a fixture in their defensive core for years to come.
This is a time when the Browns will be shifting their assets to the middle of the table in order to produce a championship squad, and Owusu-Koramoah should be a part of it.
