3 Reasons Why Jaguars' Grant Udinski is a Browns HC Candidate

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars certainly don't want to lose any of top assistants from Liam Coen's staff, but the annual coaching carousel is unpredictable year in and year out.

As things stand today, perhaps the greatest threat to Coen's staff is the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are interviewing Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, and there are plenty of reasons why he makes sense as their potential head coach.

The McVay/O'Connell/Coen Influence

Each team is trying to find the next Sean McVay in their own right. That has been true for the past decade as teams have more often than not handed the keys over to a young coach who either reminds teams of a McVay-type, or is a direct disciple of McVay and fellow former whiz kid Kyle Shannahan.

The Jaguars found their own version last year in Liam Coen, who went 13-4 as a rookie head. A few years earlier, the Minnesota Vikings found their version in Kevin O'Connell before he also went 13-4. Udinski has worked for both coaches and is as adjacent to the McVay tree as any coach in the candidate pool aside from Nate Scheelhaase.

Browns' Options

andrew berr — May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns executive vice president, football operations & general manager Andrew Berry watches during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Browns seem like a team that is in a perfect position to go with a young head coach who is high on upside and limited in experience. They don't have a quarterback and are clearly in the rebuilding phase, so some form of a long leash will be involved. They also have plenty of assets to build through the draft and make this a long-term success story.,

In terms of young offensive minds who fit the bill, the Browns have interviewed just a few in Udinski, Scheelhaase, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator, and technically Tommy Rees. If this is the direction the Browns want to go in, Udinski makes a lot of sense.

The QB Position

grant udinsk — Jaguars Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski talks with Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) during the Jaguars 14th NFL training camp session at Miller Electric Center Tuesday August 12, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars travel to New Orleans to play the Saints this Sunday in their second preseason game. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of the best quarterback success stories in recent years have Udinski's fingerprints all over their performances. Sam Darnold saved his career in Minnesota in 2024 and spent plenty of time around Udinski, while Trevor Lawrence just had a career-year after two injury-filled seasons. Udinski worked closely with Lawrence all season long and drew consistent praise from the Jaguars' franchise passer.

Perhaps no team in sports has been more starved for an answer at quarterback than the Browns. Udinski knows what the right kind of development looks like, which makes him the perfect candidate to guide a franchise quarterback if the Browns can ever find one.

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