Cleveland Browns: 5 best head coach candidates for 2019

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 24: Head coach Bruce Arians of the Arizona Cardinals watches from the sidelines during the first half of the NFL game against the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Giants 23-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 23: Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens on the field prior to the National Football League game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns on December 23, 2018, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Gregg Williams or Freddie Kitchens

These two can be lumped together, because, ultimately, Freddie Kitchens might be the coach the Browns would rather hold on to. Just 44, Kitchens has the potential to be a solid head coach for years to come, and he’s said and done all the right things since becoming the Browns offensive coordinator. Even if Cleveland is able to hold onto him as their coordinator, he’s a future head coaching candidate, given how impressive the Browns offense has been under his guidance.

So the Browns have two options when it comes to keeping Kitchens. They can either go the safe route and continue the partnership between Gregg Williams and Kitchens as the head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively, or they could decide to promote Kitchens to the head coaching position and part ways with the more experienced Williams.

The latter option is more risky due to Williams’s experience, but several teams have found success hiring young, first-time head coaches. If the Browns don’t promote Kitchens, someone else might, and even keeping him as an offensive coordinator won’t be enough to prevent teams from trying to poach him as their next head man.

Furthermore, Williams’s past as the leader of the Saints “BountyGate” scandal precedes him, and perhaps the Browns upper brass could view Williams as a liability in that regard. But Williams’s results as one of the league’s best defensive coordinators are difficult to ignore, especially since the Browns young defense had several big-game performances this year.

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