San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh reportedly remains a candidate for the Cleveland Browns' head coaching job. Cleveland.com reporter Mary Kay Cabot believes, should the Browns go with Saleh, that the defensive coordinator might try to take a 49ers assistant with him to be his offensive coordinator.
"If Saleh gets the job, he'll try to lure either 49ers run game coordinator Mike McDaniel or pass game coordinator Mike LaFleur with him as OC, a source said," writes Cabot in a feature for Cleveland.com. "Both were with the Browns in 2014 under Kyle Shanahan, and both know his balanced and quarterback-friendly offense inside and out. The Browns would have to have a comfort level with McDaniel returning to the organization after he left with Shanahan."
The Browns' interest in Saleh could be very real. Cleveland requested permission to interview Indianapolis Colts assistant general manager Ed Dobbs, who has a strong connection to Saleh from their time together in Seattle.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported today that the Browns might also be interested in 49ers VP of player personnel Adam Peters or Seattle Seahawks executive Trent Kirchner or Scott Fitterer for the general manager job.
The #Browns are still culling GM requests, but among the names associated with #49ers DC Robert Saleh who could draw interest: Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer with the #Seahawks and Adam Peters with the #49ers.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2020
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels remains a candidate, but Cabot speculates that he may not be the Browns' No. 1 choice for the head coach. Much of that is based on the general manager candidates the team is considering and one that it may not be considering.
Dobbs was on the Colts staff when McDaniels backed out of their head coaching job in 2018, and Philadelphia Eagles VP of Football Operations Andrew Berry has no ties to the Patriots' offensive coordinator.
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The Browns have not requested to interview the Patriots' Pro Personnel Director, Dave Ziegler, who is believed to be McDaniels' choice for general manager.
Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski is also a candidate for the head coaching job in Cleveland. He does have some ties to Berry.
The 49ers beat the Vikings 27-10 on Saturday and are headed to the NFC Championship Game.
"Saleh called a fantastic game," 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said after the game. "I heard a lot of people and read a lot of media reports talking about this game would decide the Cleveland Browns' coaching position between their offensive coordinator (Vikings' Kevin Stefanski) and Saleh. And if that's the way they want to decide it, I think Saleh put on a great performance, and he deserves consideration.
"He's called great games throughout the year. This was a masterpiece of him just knowing his personnel, having his personnel, and just coming up with a fantastic plan and us executing it. He deserves a ton of credit. He deserves to be a head coach."
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.