The Cleveland Browns have yet to publicly commit to bringing back head coach Freddie Kitchens in 2020, and apparently they are privately exploring the possibility of finding a replacement for him.
The Browns have been doing their “due diligence” by making calls to potential head coaching candidates, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports.
As reported on TOPS on @CBSSportsNet the Browns have been doing due diligence and making calls on potential new head coaches. Yet another bad sign for Freddie Kitchens
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 29, 2019
A report from two weeks ago claimed the Browns believe in Kitchens and want him to remain their head coach “barring a horrific collapse,” so it will be interesting to see what their definition of a “horrific collapse” is. Cleveland has lost its last two games, and there have been moments where it appeared like Kitchens was getting into it with his players on the sideline.
The Browns have been arguably the most disappointing team in the NFL this season, and Kitchens has been in over his head the entire year. He may be better suited for an offensive coordinator position, which is what he held in Cleveland last year prior to being promoted.
One of the biggest reasons the Browns hired Kitchens as their head coach was that he appeared to play a big role in developing Baker Mayfield over the second half of the 2018 season. However, even Mayfield recently hinted that he would not be crushed if Kitchens ended up being one-and-done in Cleveland.
If Kitchens does return in 2020, his leash will be incredibly short.
