Grant Udinski, previously seen as a finalist, informed Cleveland he would withdraw from consideration and signed a new deal with the Jaguars, though he remains in contention for the Buffalo Bills’ head-coach job.
Mueller also notes Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has another candidate in mind to serve as his defensive play-caller, yet the Browns organization, through Haslam, has signaled that Schwartz must be retained.
This dynamic adds to a narrative that the Browns’ coaching vacancy is viewed by many around the league as particularly challenging, a view reinforced by how quickly former head coach Kevin Stefanski drew interest from other teams after his dismissal.
Haslam’s past public accountability for the Deshaun Watson trade is cited by some as a cautionary tale about overstepping in personnel decisions, a history that could influence whether Schwartz ultimately gets promoted to head coach.
In the end, the report highlights a tension between ownership influence and a head-coach candidate’s autonomy as Cleveland moves closer to finalizing its hire.
