Joe Thomas Sends Message on Filling Browns Coaching Vacancy
The Cleveland Browns have big shoes to fill following the departure of offensive line coach Bill Callahan but Joe Thomas will not be the one to fill them.
Thomas is a legend in Cleveland. He’s a Hall of Famer and has 10 Pro Bowls to his name — all as a member of the Browns. Thomas would be a great fit, but he’s not interested in returning to coach on Kevin Stefanski’s staff.
“I’m not (interested) at this point,” Thomas told cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot on February 3. “I won’t be interested in NFL or college jobs until my kids are in college. Maybe not even then, but certainly not until then.”
Callahan was viewed as one of the most outstanding position mentors in the business. He left to join his child, Brian Callahan, with the Tennessee Titans. Callahan had one more year left on his contract with the Browns, but after Brian Callahan was named Tennessee’s head coach, the team didn’t stop the reunion.
Brian Callahan communicated a craving to mentor with his dad and shared his response to the news after he got the occupation with the Titans.
“I don’t have any idea the number of fathers and children that have been lead trainers in the NFL. On January 25, Brian Callahan stated, “I don’t think it’s many.” And it gives him a lot of pride to be associated with that.”
Bill Callahan was the Browns’ offensive line coach for the last four seasons.
Browns Actually Figuring Out Instructing Staff After Changes
The Browns made some huge instructing changes this offseason. Shortly after the conclusion of the season, the Browns parted ways with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, running backs coach Stump Mitchell, and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney.
The terminating of Van Pelt had numerous in the Browns’ structure “stunned,” per NFL insider Albert Breer of the MMQB.
“He because let go and Cleveland was on the grounds that proprietorship and Paul DePodesta [Browns’ Central Methodology Officer] — not Kevin Stefanski — were baffled with the headway Deshaun Watson had made. Breer stated, “I don’t think they really, truly knew his value to that staff.” Individuals on that staff — not really Kevin however individuals beneath him — were amazed when they terminated him.”
Van Pelt didn’t call the plays in Cleveland however assisted the offense with remaining above water in spite of a huge number of wounds to vital participants. That included Watson, Master Bowl running back Scratch Chubb and various beginning hostile linemen.
“He was the paste of that staff,” Breer said. ” The fact that held that staff together makes alex the one.”
Van Pelt is very much regarded around the association and he immediately tracked down another gig. He was employed to be the New Britain Loyalists hostile organizer on February 1.
Ken Dorsey, a former offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, was hired by the Browns to take Van Pelt’s place.
Browns Have Inquiries to Figure Out on Hostile Line
The Browns head into the offseason for certain inquiries concerning their hostile line, which has been a strength of the crew since Stefanski took over in 2020.
The interior is managed by Wyatt Teller, Ethan Pocic, and Joel Bitonio. But at tackle, things get more complicated. Dawand Jones, Jack Conklin, and Jedrick Wills, the Browns’ top three tackles, will all be recovering from injuries that ended their seasons.
The team will have to choose who starts the following season if they all return healthy. Wills and Conklin represent huge cap hits. Conklin — who has played in 22 games over the last three seasons — comes in at $12 million. Wills is on his fifth-year choice and will count $14.58 million as a detriment to the cap.
Jones came in as a fourth-round pick however was constrained into early activity following Seven days 1 injury to Conklin. He got a good grade of 64.7 on Pro Football Focus and made the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
Whoever takes over for Callahan will have the tackle circumstance at the first spot on their list of things to assault.
