Browns Well-Positioned to Keep Jim Schwartz, Regardless of HC Decision

Key Highlights

• Their systems are just too different.
• But if it's any of the other options, it certainly feels possible that they'd leave Schwartz untouched. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt's already been well reported that Cleveland has talked to potential candidates about retaining Schwartz should they get the job anyway.
• Now, that doesn't mean they'll force any hire to keep him. Vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry made it clear that whoever the next head coach is will have full control over building their staff.
• Still, they've brought it up for a reason. Any of those offensive-minded guys may feel inclined to lean into keeping the continuity Schwartz would bring, having overseen one of the best defenses in football the last few years. That's something ex-Browns head man Kevin Stefanski is doing down in Atlanta, where he accepted a job over the weekend and reportedly plans on retaining current Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich on his staff. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt feels especially likely Schawrtz would remain on staff if one of the two young offensive wizards, like Ubinski or Scheehaase, got the Browns' job.
• Doing so would help make the transition to being a first-time head coach a hell of a lot easier. They also may simply lack enough tight-knit relationships required to build out an entire coaching staff underneath and around them, making Schwartz an appealing safety net to get a staff settled on the other side of the ball. Of course, if the Cleveland's brass is as serious as they seem about wanting to keep Schwartz, the path of least resistance is to just anoint him as him head coach.