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Five reasons why Browns are ‘very desirable franchise’ for head-coaching candidates

Here are five reasons why the Cleveland Browns are a ‘very desirable franchise’ for head-coaching candidates.

The Cleveland Browns have not been considered a desirable opening in any of their last five coaching searches, but the same cannot be said now as the team looks to find its next full-time on-field leader.

With the Browns seemingly having a franchise quarterback (Baker Mayfield), an elite pass rusher (Myles Garrett), a Pro Bowl cornerback (Denzel Ward) and an ever-improving offensive line, Dorsey is confident the organization will have plenty of candidates wanting to join the turnaround.

“I think this is a very desirable franchise from a perspective of head-coaching candidates or any coaches,” Dorsey said. “You have a young quarterback. You have a young pass rusher. You have a young team, a very dynamic team.

“I think you have a really good locker room in there. I think you have assets in place with regards to the salary cap. You have assets in place for the draft. You have strong ownership, a committed ownership. Then, you have a committed fan base. There is a bright future with this organization. Hopefully, they can see what we see here.”

Here are three reasons why Dorsey is right in saying the Browns’ opening ranks among the NFL’s best:

Credit: Patrick Smith
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws the ball against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 30, 2018.

FINALLY HAVE FRANCHISE QB

No rookie in the near 100-year history of the National Football League has thrown more touchdowns passes than Mayfield.

Mayfield broke the NFL record with his 27th touchdown throw of the season with 3:24 to play in regulation of last Sunday’s 26-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC North Division clash at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Since taking over the first-team offense in the second quarter of a Week 3 win over the New York Jets, Mayfield completed 310 of his 486 attempts (63.8 percent) for 3,725 yards and 27 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.

Although Mayfield does not get official credit for the victory over the Jets because he came on in relief of injured starter Tyrod Taylor, the first-year quarterback guided the Browns to seven wins and the greatest single-year turnaround in franchise history.

Individually, Mayfield set the franchise records for the most passing touchdowns and yards by a rookie, and his 3,725 yards rank as the sixth-best single-season in team history, regardless of years of service. Additionally, Mayfield had three of the top five passing yards games by a rookie, as well as the fourth-most accurate season of any Browns quarterback ever.

“Baker’s a force,” wide receiver Breshad Perriman said. “He’s a beast. He goes out there with a killer mentality, and everybody just follows behind him. He makes great throws, does a good job leading this team.”

Credit: Ronald Martinez
The 2018 NFL Draft logo is seen on a video board during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on April 26, 2018.

ASSETS TO ADD TALENT

Currently, the Browns have nine picks for the 2019 NFL Draft with another two that are conditional.

The Browns hold their own selections in each of the first six rounds, as well as two picks from the New England Patriots (Rounds 3 and 5), two from the Jacksonville Jaguars (Rounds 5 and 7) and one from the San Francisco 49ers (Round 7).

The Browns got New England’s third-rounder in a trade for defensive lineman Danny Shelton in the offseason and the fifth-round selection in a deal for wide receiver Josh Gordon, who was sent to the Patriots in Week 3.

Jacksonville’s fifth-round pick came in a deal for running back Carlos Hyde in October.

The Browns were given a conditional selection from the 49ers in a trade for offensive lineman Shon Coleman at the end of training camp, as well as one from the Jaguars in exchange for quarterback Cody Kessler on March 28.

Credit: Joe Robbins
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett reacts to a play against the New York Jets in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on October 8, 2017.

MYLES GARRETT’S PRODUCTIVITY

Fully healthy coming into his second NFL season, defensive end Myles Garrett emerged as a leader for the Browns’ defense and registered 44 total tackles, including 35 solo stops, while playing in all 16 games for the team who selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Of those 44 tackles, 13.5 were sacks on opposing quarterbacks for 75.5 lost yards.

With 20.5 sacks, Garrett registered the most by a Brown in the first 27 games of a career, as well as the most by a defender in his first two professional seasons. This season, Garrett ranked sixth in the NFL with the 13.5 sacks and fourth in the AFC with four forced fumbles.

Selected to participate in the 2019 Pro Bowl, Garrett addressed the honor after a recent practice and let it be known that getting the All-Star nod is one of many things he wants to accomplish at the NFL level.

“It is nice,” Garrett said. “Step one of many steps to come, and hopefully, many more.”

Those “many steps to come” include some pretty lofty goals for Garrett.

“Two, All-Pro,” Garrett said. “Step three, Defensive Player of the Year. Step four, win it all.”

Credit: Patrick Smith
Cleveland Browns teammates celebrate Breshad Perriman's touchdown reception against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, in the 2018 regular-season finale at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on December 30, 2018.

FOUNDATION LAID IN SECOND HALF

At 2-5-1 following a 33-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 28 and in the middle of an unprecedented midseason coaching staff upheaval following the dismissals of Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley with eight games left to play, the 2018 Browns looked to be anything but a team capable of the greatest year-to-year turnaround in franchise history.

But a 5-3 record over the second half of the season and a three-game winning streak in December secured the Browns’ greatest turnaround in team history, as they finished plus-7.5 in victories over last year’s winless campaign.

“I think it looks bright,” offensive lineman Joel Bitonio said of the Browns’ future. “I think we have to work to it. I think it is not just going to be given now that we have some expectations, but I think we have cornerstone pieces here. I think you see a couple of draft classes where you have the No. 1 overall pick, No. 4 pick, and they are hits so far.

“You never know what is going to happen, but when you have a quarterback, everything else kind of gets a little bit easier when you have found that. Now, we have to find the right coach. I think it is going to be fun. I think that we have a lot to look forward to. You have a week or two to reflect, but then, you get back into it and you really try and improve yourself so that you can help the team coming fall of next year.”

Credit: Ken Blaze
Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey (left) talks with owner Jimmy Haslam before the game against the Green Bay Packers at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

DORSEY’S PRESENCE

When Dorsey arrived as Browns GM in December of 2017, he made sweeping changes in short order, turning over a roster that generated just one win over a two-year span and adding players who were impactful.

The Browns had two players selected to the Pro Bowl and another six that were named alternates.

Of those eight players, Dorsey was responsible for trading for one (wide receiver Jarvis Landry) and selecting three more in the 2018 NFL Draft: defensive back Denzel Ward (No. 4 overall), quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 1 overall) and running back Nick Chubb (second-round selection).

With another robust amount of picks in the 2019 NFL Draft and a plenty of cap space at hand, Dorsey could make another strong showing in the offseason to build up a roster that can compete for the AFC North Division.

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