CLEVELAND (92.3 The Fan) – Another round of changes appear to be in the offing for the worst-run franchise in professional sports according to a report Sunday evening.
The Browns have begun to quietly begin their search for their next football executive according to ProFootballTalk.com.
Mike Florio, citing a league source with knowledge of the situation, reported Sunday evening that the Browns “have begun reaching out to candidates to potentially join the organizations front office.” Florio added that the Browns are targeting football executives and not more analytics driven executive types.
Florio said on Sunday Night Football’s pregame show on NBC that, “the wheels are in motion for the Browns to, yet again, reboot that franchise.”
A Browns team spokesman called the report “false and erroneous” Sunday night.
Sashi Brown was promoted from executive vice president-general counsel to executive vice president of football operations on Jan. 1, 2016 following the firing of former general manager Ray Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine.
Former Major League executive Paul DePodesta was also hired as the chief strategy officer, and in concert with Brown, the duo have orchestrated a multitude of trades to stockpile draft picks while at the same time passing on a pair of potential franchise quarterbacks in Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson in the process.
In addition, Brown wasted a combined $32.225 million on receiver Kenny Britt, who has been a huge disappointment this season, and a second round pick from Houston. Britt was guaranteed $17 million in a 4-year, $32.5 million contract this offseason while the Browns are paying $15.225 million of Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler’s salary after acquiring him via trade with the Texans along with Houston’s 2018 second-round draft pick.
Since Brown assumed control of the organization, the Browns are an NFL-worst 1-21 following an embarrassing 33-17 loss at Houston that saw head coach Hue Jackson bench rookie DeShone Kizer in favor of Kevin Hogan, who threw 3 interceptions and accounted for a safety in the loss.
The Browns have selected 24 players in the draft over the last 2 years and the team currently holds 5 selections in the first 2 rounds of the 2018 draft.
Since taking over ownership of the team in Oct. 2012, Jimmy and Dee Haslam have fired executives Mike Holmgren, Joe Banner, Michael Lombardi, Alec Scheiner and Ray Farmer as well as head coaches Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski and Mike Pettine.
