Cleveland Browns to interview Bengals DC Paul Guenther

The Cleveland Browns will reportedly interview Paul Guenther for their vacant head coaching job.

The Browns and Bengals are notorious rivals in the AFC North, as the Bengals came into being out of former Browns head coach Paul Brown’s frustrations with Cleveland in the 1960s. While Cincinnati has been one of the most consistent franchises in the NFL the last four years, Cleveland can’t seem to get out of its own way with his rampant hiring and firing of its head coaches.

According to NFL.com’s Albert Breer, the Cleveland Browns plan to interview defensive coordinator Paul Guenther of the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals some time next week for their available head coaching position.

Under Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, coordinators often become NFL head coaches. Two years ago offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer went on to become head coaches with the Washington Redskins and the Minnesota Vikings, respectively. Both the Redskins and the Vikings won their divisions in 2015 and will host games in the Wild Card round of the NFC Playoffs.

Along with offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, Guenther appears as a viable head coaching candidate for several vacancies this offseason. Cleveland may have grown tired of losing in the AFC North and may look to poach their next head coach from within the division by hiring someone like Guenther.

Guenther has been on Lewis’ staff since 2005 and became the defensive coordinator for the Bengals since Zimmer left for Minneapolis. The Bengals seem to have a strong organizational culture during the Lewis era in Cincinnati and it is wise for Cleveland to at least interview a coordinator from within the AFC North.