The Cleveland Browns have narrowed down their head coaching search to interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens and Minnesota Vikings interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reports that Kitchens has a “good chance” of being named coach, but no decision has been finalized yet.
Kitchens was promoted to offensive coordinator earlier this season after Todd Haley got the boot. With Kitchens calling plays, Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield turned things on down the stretch:
In the first eight games of the season with Haley calling the plays, Mayfield went 1-4 with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. He completed 58.3 percent of his attempts for 1,471 yards and was sacked 20 times. The Browns averaged 21 points in those games and scored 18 points or less on four occasions despite a boatload of takeaways
In the last eight games under Kitchens, he went 5-3, with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 2,254 yards and was sacked only five times.
Cleveland blocked Kitchens from interviewing for other offensive coordinator positions.
While Kitchens seems to have the inside track on the job, it appears Stefanski shouldn't be ruled out just yet. Stefanski took over as the Vikings' offensive coordinator toward the end of the season after John DeFilippo was fired, but he wasn't able to help Minnesota get into the postseason. The Vikings' offense performed well in his first two games calling plays, but they laid a huge egg in the regular-season finale at home against the Chicago Bears.
The Browns went 7-8-1 and finished the season with Gregg Williams as the interim head coach after Hue Jackson was canned.
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