The Cleveland Browns' 17-16 victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday may have resulted in some major implications.
Not only did it keep the Browns' playoff hopes alive -- for now anyways -- but it also may have made an impact on what the team's coaching staff will look like in 2019. According to FOX Sports' Jay Glazer, while Cleveland remains uncommitted to interim head coach Gregg Williams past the final two regular-season games of 2018, Saturday's win was enough for offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens' to secure his spot as the team's play-caller next year.
"It did lock up the job for their offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens because of the job he's doing with Baker Mayfield," Glazer said on the FOX NFL Sunday pregame show. "But because now they have a coach for Baker, they can open up that head coaching search. They don't have to go find that offensive guru. They can go out and find the best guy for the job."
Although adding the condition that any prospective head coach has to keep Kitchens on staff would seem to potentially shrink the Browns' pool of candidates, it'd be tough to argue with the job Kitchens has done with Mayfield. In the six games following the firings of head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley, the No. 1 overall pick has completed 70.8 percent of his passes, totaling 1,594 yards, 13 touchdowns and a passer rating of 110.2. In that span, Cleveland has amassed an impressive 4-2 record, leading some to believe the Browns would be best served by keeping their interim staff in place.
But when it comes to the status of Williams, Glazer says not so fast. Although general manager John Dorsey has already said that Williams will get an interview for the position, right now, the only certainty for Cleveland's coaching staff past this season is that Kitchens will remain the team's play-caller.
"Now Gregg Williams, if they run the table and make the playoffs, does he have a legitimate shot at getting that job? Absolutely," Glazer said. "But right now, they're not ready to hand Gregg the job just yet."
