The ‘Berry Barrier’: Why top coaches will decline the Browns job

Andy McNamara

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The ‘Berry Barrier’: Why top coaches will decline the Browns job image

While the Browns hunt for a new head coach, elite candidates could be hitting the 'reject' button.

The biggest obstacle in Cleveland isn't the roster or the salary cap—it’s the front office structure that GM Andrew Berry and owner Jimmy Haslam appear to be retaining.

Would the organization be willing to change for the right HC candidate? ESPN Cleveland analyst Tony Grossi isn't so sure.

More: The ultimate betrayal? Why a Harbaugh-Stefanski coach swap between Ravens and Browns just might happen

The "collaborative" measures taken on roster decisions for this team have been well documented. A combination of the now departed chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta, Berry, the analytics department, possibly ownership, and Kevin Stefanski all apparently had a say.

However, often it appeared that the head coach had the least pull of anyone. Especially at quarterback. Perplexing trades and draft picks that seemed counter productive to on-field success sprung up throughout the six year Berry/Stefanski partnership.

"If the coach they want has more experience, they'll have to give something up," Grossi explained in the above X post about how the front office would have to bend to get someone more established.

He continued, "a Brian Flores, isn't going to come in here under the same conditions that Kevin (Stefanski) worked under. No way." That would definitely apply to the suddenly available John Harbaugh, formerly of the Ravens as well.

On "The Sick Podcast with Andy McNamara" I spoke with former Browns staff writer Matt Florjancic about what Berry staying on meant for the club moving forward.

To be fair, there's always the more positive outlook on fans giving Berry a chance to succeed. That's the angle veteran Cleveland sports host Tony Rizzo took.

The interview requests for possible head coaches will keep being revealed over the next several days, and possibly weeks. It will be exposed quickly how flexible Berry and Haslam are going to be based on the level of desirability of those candidates.

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News Correspondent