Rumors: 3 New names in Cleveland Browns coaching search

Brian Flores

Another name Rapoport wrote about is Patriots’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Flores is in his first year as defensive coordinator. He succeeded Matt Patricia, who’s yelling at people to sit up straight in press conferences as head coach of the Detroit Lions.

He played linebacker at Boston College and began his post playing career with the Patriots as a scouting assistant with New England in 2004.

The 37-year-old has been a part of three of the five Super Bowls Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have won.

It’s definitely worth noting that New England operates out of a 4-3 base scheme, so if Flores takes the job with the Browns, Cleveland won’t have to turn Myles Garrett into an outside linebacker.

His name, along with Eberflus, may mean Kitchens gets to retain his job as offensive coordinator.

It’s also worth noting that Eberflus and Flores would probably jump at the opportunity to be a head coach and make concessions in the process. Remember, there are only 32 of these jobs. If the condition is that Kitchens stays in place as OC, well, they may just take the deal in order to become a head coach.

Something else to consider is Bill Belichick’s failed coaching tree in the NFL. His assistants are always top candidates because the Patriots win. But when those coaches go elsewhere, they can’t take Tom Brady with them.

With that said, that’s not a good excuse to ignore qualified candidates and Flores is someone whose worked his way up the ladder. Plus, I like coaches who have a background in personnel.