The Cleveland Browns have hired a new offensive coordinator, bringing in John DeFilippo to fill the position vacated by Kyle Shanahan this offseason, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
Browns hire John DeFilippo as offensive coordinator
John DeFilippo worked well with Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr and will now be tasked with the development of Johnny Manziel.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
DeFilippo spent the last three seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders and was lauded for his work with rookie Derek Carr during the 2014 season. Carr started all 16 games for the Raiders and finished the year with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The 36-year-old DeFilippo was also a candidate for the Browns' offensive coordinator job during the 2014 offseason before Shanahan was handed the reins instead. Shanahan found early success with the Browns, but the offense sputtered down the stretch. The team allowed him to bow out of his contract this offseason and Shanahan was instantly a hot commodity in the head coaching and offensive coordinator market. Now Shanahan is set to become the new offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, with high-level players like Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.
Reports indicated that Shanahan's decision to leave the Browns was at least partly linked to a disagreement with the front office regarding the switch from Brian Hoyer to Johnny Manziel at the quarterback position. Hoyer got the Browns off to a great start, but faltered down the line. At that point, he was benched by head coach Mike Pettine in favor of the rookie Manziel. Predictably, Manziel struggled and Cleveland was soon eliminated from the playoff race.
DeFilippo is the sixth offensive coordinator in as many seasons for the Browns. His chief task will be the development of Manziel, provided the Browns don’t attempt to replace him sooner rather than later. That doesn’t seem likely, given the decision to start him over Hoyer at the tail end of the season.
There's also wide receiver Josh Gordon to consider. One of the most talented receivers in the league, Gordon would be a huge help to any new coordinator if he actually plays. He'd be a boost for the offense as a whole and great for the development of Manziel. Either way, it's going to be a tough task for DeFilippo, who is taking over an offense that finished 23rd in the NFL in total yards.
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