Why Bengals OC Dan Pitcher Has Emerged as Real Contender for Browns’ Head Coaching Job

CINCINNATI — Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher interviewed for the Browns head coaching job last week.

It sounds like he has a real shot at landing the job. Cleveland is focued on bringing in a young, offensive mind at head coach to pair with current defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

"The Browns would love to keep DC Jim Schwartz with their new head coach given all the defensive success they've had, which is why most expect them to hire an offensive minded head coach," Schultz said. "Many around the league have viewed the Browns as a team that could hire a head coach who might be a year away from being a legitimate candidate. But in their eyes, 'if he's going to be a head coach in the future, why wait?' that's why you're seeing Cleveland interview requests for Bengals OC Dan Pitcher, Jags OC Grant Udinski, and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, pairing a young offensive mind with Schwartz is seen as very intriguing to Cleveland."

The Browns also interviewed former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, but he's being targeted by multiple teams for both offensive coordinator and head coaching jobs.

Pitcher hasn't interviewed anywhere else (yet) and could fit the description of hiring him a year earlier than expected.

On one hand, the Bengals underachieved this season, finishing 6-11. On the other hand, they've gone 10-3 in their last 13 games with a healthy Joe Burrow and Pitcher was part of Joe Flacco's success after Cincinnati's midseason trade with Cleveland.

Maybe the Browns know the time is now to hire Pitcher and that he'll be one of the top head coaching candidates a year from now. That wouldn't be a shocking development, especially if Burrow and the Bengals rebound after going 6-11 this season.

The Cleveland opening is clearly the worst job of this cycle if they don't have a clear cut plan at quarterback, but there are only 32 NFL head coaching jobs on the planet. If Pitcher did leave for a head coaching job, former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan would be a natural fit to return after being fired by the Titans in October.

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