DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns OC search..

j/c

Mary Kay tweeted Browns are not interviewing Marty Mornhinweg per league sources. How much credibility is that is unknown.

link

The more I hear Farmer talk, the more discouraged I become.

credulity
Houghton Mifflin
n.noun

A disposition to believe too readily.

Anyway, if you want to be an executive for any organization, be it a fortune 500 or an NFL team, you can't throw former employees under a bus. It's not professional.

He didn't throw Shanahan under the bus and that, in the long run is probably a good thing. Grossi doesn't like it so for him, that means the story isn't there unless he makes it up.

Remember, he's the guy that predicted that Bill Cowher would be our head coach when (I think it was) when it looked like RAC would be fired.

I don't think his response was lame at all. I think he is 100% correct. The issue is HOW MUCH friction was there between the departments and what larger problems it may have created at the office. We'll probably never know. Sorry, but any of you who don't think there are heated debates between the FO and coaches on players they like/dislike, you're pretty naïve. And not just in the draft room, but in the months leading up to the draft as well. The NFL is ego-central. From the owner all the way down to the ball boy. Everyone wants their voiced heard for future jobs that are relatively scarce compared to other industries. I mean, geez, do you guys read the pissing matches that go on here between wanna be GMs, highschool/Div. 12 collegiate football players, and pop warner coaches about how much they know about what is going on and what to do? Amplify that with people that have ACTUALLY been in the NFL for years and equate their grossly overpaid salaries to real job legitimacy and you have a recipe for the biggest testosterone battles ever known to man.

That is why I like a very divided line between department responsibilities. The GM and scouts make all final decisions about FAs,draft picks, etc. No interference except if asked for counsel by the GM. And that advice should be asked of ONLY to the HC. The minute coordinators get involved is the minute you muddy the waters on the hierarchy.

Same with the coaches. They should get zero interference from outside parties on who starts, who is inactive, their weekly game plan, etc. That includes these rumors about texting down to the field. If that happened, I'm not surprised coaches were upset. They are being undermined.

We haven't had any legitimate separation about these roles (IMO) since I can remember and I feel it is a big reason for much of the problems we've faced from the past regimes.

I would say the only time you bring all the parties together (meaning position coaches as well) is when finalizing the 53 man roster. And at that point, usually the GM should lean heavily on the coaches opinions of who makes the team, but ultimately it should be the GM final decision. He is charged with bringing in, and keeping, talent. But a good GM will know when to defer to the HC and coordinator requests.

*Speculation* I do think Shanahan wanted a larger voice in personnel, much like what he saw his father possess in Washington (another organizational fiasco) and he didn't really like Manziel. Shanahan may also end up being right about Manziel in the end. I also think Shanahan knows he is a hot commodity in the NFL circles and tried to leverage that towards Browns decisions..it didn't work. I also think there was some truth to the texting debacle and I think that was the last straw. Shanahan's opinion wasn't being considered and then he was being told what to do with his scheme, players, whatever. Relationship broken. In a world where you live and die by the QB performance, Shanahan didn't want to risk his future with Johnny Manziel. He clearly has taken the safe route with Matt Ryan and thinks it will catapult him to a HC position before Manziel will*speculation complete*

Guys, I think there is a larger problem here and it is not the relationship between Shanahan and the FO. It's Shanahan and his confidence in Manziel. Honestly, if Shanahan truly thought Manziel was the next franchise QB, attaching himself to Manziel, a untamable, undersized project QB would have been the best thing for his career, regardless if there was any friction like it's being alluded....Teams would be lining up for him like they were Adam Gase one year ago...or Dan Quinn-esque (although a DC) these past two years. But he didn't. He bailed, resigned, walked-outs, asked for release, whatever. He's gone and I think Manziel is the problem more so than anything else. JMO.

Back to Grossi...I've liked much of what Tony has written since joining ESPNCleveland but this rant just looks like a journalist who is mad he's not able to get much information on what really happened. As Farmer has said many times, he doesn't operate through the media. Grossi should realize that by now. Go try and find another source, Tony.

Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer says friction between coaches and front office is 'natural'

January 20, 2015 at 10:54 PM

link
MOBILE, Alabama – Browns general manager Ray Farmer said it's natural for friction to exist between coaching staffs and front offices and "really, really good teams . . . work through those things."

Such friction, however, was one of the major reasons former Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan wanted out of his contact with the club on Jan. 8, sources told cleveland.com.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the franchise allowed Shanahan to walk away with two years remaining on his deal, Farmer would not reveal his personal feelings about the offensive coordinator's action. Shanahan is set to join the Falcons in the same role.

But Farmer, who's worked in three NFL organizations, said disagreements between coaches and front-office members aren't uncommon.

"In every (building) I've been in, with the Atlanta Falcons, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns -- the teams I've been associated with -- there's always been a natural friction between front office and the coaches," said Farmer on Tuesday after a Senior Bowl practice.

"That's just how it is. Sometimes the personnel guys want Player A and the coaches want Player B. The teams that are really, really good, they work through those things. Sometimes, you have to have the hard conversations. Sometimes you look guys in the eye and you argue and you yell, but you're trying to get it right. You're trying to come up with the right answers."

Sources told cleveland.com the biggest problem in Shanahan's eye was that the personnel side and coaches aren't united on some key issues. One source said some coaches became upset when a high-ranking personnel member texted from the press box to the sidelines about play calls. That revelation sparked a league investigation into the calls.

The coaches, sources said, also might have felt pressure to start Johnny Manziel against the Bengals on Dec. 14 with the playoffs on the line.

Beyond the Shanahan resignation, the Browns fired quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains, while receivers coach and close Shanahan friend, Mike McDaniel resigned.

Farmer wouldn't say if he felt disappointed that Shanahan orchestrated his departure from a team that serious concerns at quarterback and in the passing game.

"Again, my personal feelings about how people do what they do is just that, it's personal," he said. "For me, I look at all this stuff as it's all a business."

The Browns could have forced Shanahan to honor the final two years of his contract, but chose to set him free, a decision that's drawn criticism in some quarters. Farmer said questions about that decision are better suited for coach Mike Pettine.

"End of the day my role is to try and find players, keep trying to add guys to this roster," Farmer said. "The whole Shanahan thing is what it is. At the end of the day we believe Pettine, the coaching staff, is going to find a better guy that's going to move us in a direction we want to go."

Pettine was not spotted at either practice Tuesday. The Browns are in the process of trying to fill the vacant coordinator's position.

Farmer said the discussion of what the Browns will do at quarterback next season remains "ongoing." Manziel led the Browns to just three points in six quarters as a starter before suffering a hamstring injury Dec. 21 against the Panthers. Brian Hoyer, who started the first 13 games, can become an unrestricted free agent on March 10.

"I don't think that conversation has ever stopped," Farmer said. "I don't think that conversation is ever going to stop. I think it's a constant evaluation of who's doing what, how guys are practicing, how guys are performing, how guys are doing in everything -- meetings, preparation, etc."

". . . My whole goal in this is to drive competition. I don't care if you have Brett Favre, you should try to get Aaron Rodgers. I know the quarterback is always the hot topic but (ultimately) you want a good enough team that you're constantly bringing in players trying to beat established players out."

Farmer said he hasn't had much discussion with receiver Josh Gordon, who the club suspended for the final game for missing a team walk-thru. The Browns must make a decision on the talented, but troubled receiver who missed the first 10 games due to a league-imposed drug ban. Several weeks ago, Farmer didn't sound overly optimistic about his return.

"It's the offseason and we can only have so much communication and contact with those (players)," Farmer said Tuesday when asked about Gordon. "When those things present themselves, we'll get into them. Those guys get their downtime. They get a chance to step away from the game, assess themselves, assess their situations and when the time is right for those conversations, we'll have them."

Redskins free agency grades: As, Bs and Cs

On Lauvao:

“This is an obscene amount of money for someone who should be a reserve lineman. Shawn Lauvao has played three full or near-full seasons in the NFL. He was mediocre in 2011 and 2012, but was downright awful this past year. Perhaps that was because of an ankle injury that knocked him out for the first few games, but the fact remains that Washington is paying him way too much money. Even half of this contract would have been excessive.”

Talk about buyer's remorse. Upon being hired, head coach Jay Gruden indicated he wanted to get bigger along the offensive line. In turn, the team went out and brought Shawn Lauvao aboard with a four-year, $17 million deal.


just some things i been reading about lava at the end of the season.

Farmer knows that Haslam is the boss and he already plays politics with the coaching staff to look good in front of Haslam. Farmer started a blame game because his two 1st rounders barely saw the field and when they did, they were crap. He was probably in Haslam's ears about it all game long during games.

Of course, the bigger problem in this structure is Haslam. This FO-coaching friction will always be there as long as he's the boss. His FO and coaching staff become his little children and they start finger pointing and blame gaming as soon as some sort of problem crops up. These comments all but prove that Farmer is a bigger hypocrite than Pettine. I respect Pettine for not playing the same way. At least he seems to have some backbone left

It's a mess.

Non, no, no

Any OC we look at is a bum , unless of course that person gets hired elsewhere then he is the one we let get away.

Musgrave, Olson and Trestman... noted by la Canfora as great candidates... and the OC pool is drying up so by extension we let these great guys get away... like Trestman who was a train wreack by so many ion thsi board when it was thought he would come here... not a word about going to Balt. ,.... I wonder why.

And yes wallow in misery... lol No we are wallowing and then go on to give an extensive list of all the thngs done wrong in the past... living in the past... isnt that a good part of wallowing? I do it at times as well.. I am still pissed we didnt draft Loadholt.

Hey, I liked Shanny... wish he could have stayed here for two more years... he is gone, not sure anyone we get will be better or as good... only time will tell, but I can not let future decisions rest on past errors... there is no causual relationship here....

Yes, you keep an eye on the past, but you dont live it.

Let your history be a part of your destiny not a dictator of it

That'sy choice... others can chose differently.

Well..... Tony Grossi reporting:

Source confirms #Brown's hiring John DeFilippo as OC.

Tony's Tweet

And, Ian Rapoport:

The #Browns are hiring as OC ex-#Raiders QB coach John DeFilippo, source confirms the @alexmarvez report. His work with Derek Carr was noted

Ian's Tweet

Maybe the Rams are letting him out of his contract because they are going to let their new offensive coordinator bring in his own guy? They could have blocked him from interviewing for us if they really wanted to. Anything below head coach is considered a lateral move by the NFL.

I don't care what he says, I care what he does. He had a horrible first draft (albeit only one year). His free agent signings (both undrafted and veteran) were pretty good.

Wow this is an exciting hire!! lol Probably their last option. Not that it will make any difference anyway.

yeah Martz, Musgrave, Olson or Trestman would have been so much better choices.

hummmm wasn't it the ones running the franchise that hired Pettine?

No. It was Banner and Lombardi.

I think they were relieved of duty before they were fired and Haslem had a huge hand in picking Pettine as our HC ... JMHO

I was joking, but we know for a fact that Banner hired Pettine.

At least he made one good move on his way out

Can we please set aside the ludicrous comments about "dysfunctionality" ...

By Conor Orr
Around The NFL Writer
Published: Jan. 21, 2015 at 07:58 a.m. Updated: Jan. 21, 2015 at 08:11 a.m.
Ray Farmer wants you to know that all is well in Cleveland.

The Browns' general manager says he's seen friction between coaches and front office members at every stop in his career, and that the ability to overcome differences is what separates good teams.


Amid the fallout of a contentious departure by Kyle Shanahan, the Browns are currently working on the healing process.

"That's just how it is," Farmer said, via Cleveland.com. "Sometimes the personnel guys want Player A and the coaches want Player B. The teams that are really, really good, they work through those things. Sometimes, you have to have the hard conversations. Sometimes you look guys in the eye and you argue and you yell, but you're trying to get it right. You're trying to come up with the right answers."

Of course, the Browns aren't exactly getting the benefit of the doubt here. After rumors surfaced that front office members were texting coaches during games about play calls, it's easy to see why the search for a new offensive coordinator has taken on a bit of a wayward feel.

Combined with the fact that Johnny Manziel is not exactly an enticing entity to work with at this point, and you have a very interesting set of circumstances for these coaches to overcome friction.

Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely? Maybe not at this point.