Browns Are Interviewing Ohio State Legend For Coaching Position
The Cleveland Browns were hit hard by the injury bug this season, but they still managed to impress many people by finishing with an 11-6 record and making the playoffs for just the third time since their current iteration began play in 1999.
There are still questions about whether injured stars Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb will be the same next season, but if they are, the team should be a real force in the AFC.
They have made some changes to the coaching staff since their wild-card playoff round loss to the Houston Texans, including the hiring of new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who replaced Alex Van Pelt.
Per CFB Focus, the Browns are interviewing Ohio State University linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, although it is unclear which position he’s interviewing for.
Laurinaitis played four seasons at Ohio State from 2005 to 2008, and while there, he was a three-time consensus All-American, a three-time First-team All-Big Ten selection, and a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
He was a second-round draft pick in 2009 by the then-St. Louis Rams, and he played eight seasons in the NFL, seven of them coming with the Rams.
The Browns largely won with defense this season, as defensive end Myles Garrett was named the Defensive Player of the Year, and they got improved play from linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who led them in tackles and tackles for loss and earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
Laurinaitis is 37 years of age and has just two years of coaching experience at the college level.
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2024 NFL Calendar: Important offseason dates for the Browns
A look at the key dates this offseason as the Browns get to work for the 2024 season.
The NFL offseason is officially upon us as there will not be another meaningful game played until September.
Even so, this is a league that never sleeps so there is considerable work to be done by the Cleveland Browns and the other 30 teams all hoping to be the ones to keep the Kansas City Chiefs from winning their third consecutive Super Bowl a year from now.
From free agency to the NFL Scouting Combine, transition and franchise tags, offseason workouts, and the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager Andrew Berry’s calendar is going to be full, so here are some key dates to keep in mind over the next few months, courtesy of the NFL.
February 20 @ 4 p.m.
Teams can begin to place either the Franchise tag or Transition tag on their players. The Browns do not have any high-priority free agents this year, so this day will likely go by relatively quietly in Berea.
February 27 to March 4
The annual NFL Scouting Combine takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. General managers and head coaches usually have media time at the event, so this will be an opportunity to check in with Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Expect to hear that quarterback Deshaun Watson is “on track” in his recovery from shoulder surgery, running back Nick Chubb is “working hard” to come back from his knee surgery, and plenty of questions about whether or not Stefanski will give up calling plays on offense now that offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey is in town
