Cleveland Browns (2009 Season)

[osugrad21]

CPD

Mangini: GM announcement coming 'in very short future'; Tucker headed to Jaguars

by Mary Kay Cabot/Plain Dealer Reporter Wednesday January 21, 2009, 8:02 PM


Thomas Ondrey/The Plain DealerNew Browns coach Eric Mangini (center) shares the podium with Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry (top) and emcee Jim Nantz at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards Wednesday night. Mangini said an announcement on the Browns' new GM is expected soon.
UPDATED: 11:17 p.m. CLEVELAND -- Browns coach Eric Mangini indicated Wednesday night that the team is very close to naming Ravens Pro Personnel Director George Kokinis as the Browns' new general manager.
"I think we'll have some news here in the very short future," Mangini said at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, where he was a presenter. "I'm looking forward to that news breaking. We'll have an announcement soon."
A source confirmed Wednesday that Browns owner Randy Lerner spoke to Kokinis again Wednesday, but would not say if that meeting was in person or on the phone. Profootballtalk.com reported that Kokinis was on his way to New York Wednesday to meet with Lerner.
Mangini declined to confirm that.
"The way that we've done this is that we've had different meetings -- and in terms of when and where, there's been a bunch of them," said Mangini.

Mangini declined to be specific on the nature of the discussion, but a source said there were no new developments.
"Randy and I have been talking a lot and we're trying to move forward with the decision as quickly as we can," said Mangini. "But it's definitely a process and we're not going to rush the process."
Mangini also said he'll announce some assistants, probably on Thursday. Quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox and assistant strength coach Rick Lyle are expected to be among them. Smith and some of the others have already been working in Berea, a source said.

Cont...

[osugrad21]

DDN

Browns add to coaching staff

By Carlos "Big C" Holmes | Thursday, January 22, 2009, 07:05 PM
With still no general manager in place, Cleveland Browns new head coach Eric Mangini raided the cupboard of his former employer the New York Jets by signing four of the team?s position coaches.

The club announced today the hiring of five new assistants to Mangini?s staff.
Joining the Browns are defensive line coach Bryan Cox, defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, defensive quality control coach Andy Dickerson, quarterbacks coach Carl Smith and assistant strength and conditioning coach Rick Lyle.
Four of the five coaches were part of Mangini?s staff in New York, with Cox, Henderson, Dickerson and Lyle all having spent the past three seasons on the Jets coaching staff.
?I am pleased to announce the addition of five new coaches to our staff,? said Eric Mangini. ?These men are outstanding teachers and their energy and expertise will have an immediate impact on our team.?
Mangini and his staff look to revitalize a 4-12 franchise that came into the ?08 season with thoughts of being Super Bowl contenders.
Cont...

[osugrad21]

CPD

Browns officially name quintet of assistants

by Tony Grossi/Plain Dealer Reporter Thursday January 22, 2009, 5:31 PM


UPDATED: 10:02 p.m.
AP file photoNew Browns quarterback coach Carl Smith held the same position for two seasons under former Browns head coach Butch Davis.


CLEVELAND -- Which will be completed first -- the Browns' search for a general manager or Eric Mangini's assistant coaching staff? Mangini added five assistants on Thursday, but he still has at least that many vacancies to fill.
Meanwhile, the vigil for George Kokinis drones on. The prospective GM could be formally announced Friday. Kokinis has been in and out of the team's headquarters during the week while still being technically employed as Baltimore Ravens' pro personnel director.
To no one's surprise, Mangini is leaning on past associations to form his coaching staff.
Four of the five assistants named Thursday were also on his Jets staff for three years. They are Bryan Cox (defensive line), Jerome Henderson (defensive backs), Andy Dickerson (defensive quality control) and Rick Lyle (assistant strength and conditioning).
The fifth coach is Carl Smith (quarterbacks), who held the same job in Cleveland under Butch Davis from 2001-03. Smith left the Browns in 2004 to join Pete Carroll's powerhouse at Southern California as quarterbacks coach. The past two seasons Smith was offensive coordinator at Jacksonville.

"These men are outstanding teachers and their energy and expertise will have an immediate impact on our team," Mangini said in a club statement.
Cox, a 12-year NFL linebacker, joined Mangini's Jets in 2006.
Henderson, who played eight years in the NFL as a defensive back, joined the Jets in 2006 as director of player development moved into coaching the following year.

Cont...

[LitlBuck]

The Browns will have to hire Kokinis now because they have no one in their organization who could not run the draft. He was the senior member of the Browns organization who was at the Senior Bowl. I sure hope that Lerner rosewood he is doing with all of his money.

PD

Browns fire personnel director McCreight, prepare for Kokinis' arrival
by Mary Kay Cabot/Plain Dealer Reporter
Friday January 23, 2009, 10:32 PM

CLEVELAND -- Browns Director of Player Personnel T.J. McCreight was fired on Friday, two sources close to the situation told The Plain Dealer.

McCreight's departure paves the way for the hiring of Ravens Pro Personnel Director George Kokinis, who could be named Browns general manager as early as Saturday.

McCreight had been with the Browns for four seasons, including the first two as Assistant Director of Player Personnel before being promoted to his current post in 2007.

Continued

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

The Browns will have to hire Kokinis now because they have no one in their organization who could not run the draft. He was the senior member of the Browns organization who was at the Senior Bowl. I sure hope that Lerner rosewood he is doing with all of his money.

PD

I have no problem with the move. If you're going to gut the organization, may as well go all out. Bottom line is the previous regime failed and they want to bring in new blood. Looks like Kokinis should be officially hired in the next day or two giving plenty of time to prep for the draft and the FA period.

[Buckrock]

It's a tough business. By all accounts TJ did a good job. I can understand though that the new regime will want to bring in their own folks. Go Browns!!!

[LitlBuck]

I would say it is about time

Cleveland.com

Finally! Browns name Kokinis GM
by Tony Grossi
Sunday January 25, 2009, 6:36 PM

The Browns acknowledged one of the worst-kept secrets in the NFL -- George Kokinis is their new general manager.

The Baltimore Ravens pro personnel director was named to the position Sunday, almost a month after he emerged as a surprise front-runner for the position.

Kokinis was recommended for the position by Eric Mangini in the eventual coach's first interview with owner Randy Lerner on Dec. 30. Until Mangini brought forth the name of his longtime friend, Kokinis was not on the same radar screen with higher-profile executives Scott Pioli, Rich McKay and Tom Heckert as candidates for the job.

Kokinis, 41, was well-known in NFL circles as a diligent worker, a tireless viewer of game video to evaluate players already on team rosters. He was a finalist for the Atlanta Falcons general manager job a year ago, but his name didn't surface publicly because the team chose Thomas Dimitroff before interviewing Kokinis.

Continued

From the article linked above

Kokinis inherits a team with obvious weaknesses at linebacker, cornerback, receiver and offensive line, and deficient of a full complement of draft choices. Past trades by Savage left the Browns with only four selections in the April 25-26 draft -- first, second, fourth and sixth rounds.

He also must address the contract situations of at least three players who last season asked for new deals -- tight end Kellen Winslow, specialist Josh Cribbs and kicker Phil Dawson.

Together, Kokinis and Mangini must decide what to do with quarterback Derek Anderson, who has a guaranteed $5 million roster bonus due in March and lost his starting job last year to Brady Quinn.

[LitlBuck]

Talk about starting new. The Browns have a completely new look now from the front office to the field.

Cleveland.com

Bob Kain leaving as advisor to Cleveland Browns, Randy Lerner
by Tony Grossi / Plain Dealer Reporter
Monday January 26, 2009, 12:52 PM

BEREA -- Yet another Browns executive is leaving the organization.

Bob Kain, who was a key adviser to owner Randy Lerner the past 2 1/2 years and held the title "vice chairman," said his work is done and he will no longer be a part of the Browns' hierarchy.

Kain, the former president and co-CEO of IMG, was mostly instrumental in the purchase by Lerner of the Aston Villa F.C. soccer team of the English Premier League and its business and marketing startup. Lerner then called on Kain's expertise to assist in retooling his Browns operation.

Kain assisted in Lerner's search of a front-office restructuring that resulted in the hiring of Eric Mangini as coach and George Kokinis as general manager. In that role, he spoke personally with potential candidates such as Bill Cowher and others who were not formal candidates, such as Brian Billick and Marty Schottenheimer.

Kain insisted his departure is not related to the persons selected for those offices, but rather that they have been now been filled.

Continued

[NFBuck]

Alright, now get to work fellas. I want the mother[censored]ing playoffs. The Cardinals are in the SuperBowl. THE CARDINALS.

[LitlBuck]

Some of the more interesting questions and answers from Kokinis initial press conference. I thought it was very interesting that he said that he would have the final say on the 53 man roster amongst other things. Sure hope that he and Mangini have a very good relationship.

Cleveland.com

Live blog recap: Browns introduce George Kokinis as GM
by Tony Grossi
Monday January 26, 2009, 10:49 AM

First question is about the Browns roster. How big a task?

"I don't think there's any timetable you need to put on a team. It starts with Day 1, you've got to improve every day. ... "

Second question about his early days here.

"My first stages here, the biggest thing I learned was about work ethic. There was so many great people here at that time. To name them all, I'd leave somebody out. I think work ethic, what it means to be part of this league, to work with each other and come to the best decisions for this football team."

Appraise this team. You know it.

"I don't really want to go into the evaluation of the football team right now. It's important for them [the coaching staff] to evaluate the team first. I'm going to be grinding up my end in terms of looking at every phase. To go player by player, it's not the time."

You have final say?

"Everybody has their own style. I don't think I came in to say I'm going to be the voice of this team or not. In terrms of working with Eric, you'll hear me saying consensus building. Any great decision comes from having all the best information you have. More than not, I'll say what is best for the Cleveland Browns."

Your role in Baltimore was what exactly?

"When I first came off the road as a college scout, my main role was breaking down the upcoming opponent. I always felt from a personnel standpoint, if we gave the coaches one thing to take into the gameplan, then we've done our job."

How are you going to handle the college draft?

"At this pont, the college process is something I"m very familiar with. It's not foreign to me. I've been part of 17 draft rooms, draft strategy. I've actually used the same style in free agency meetings they use in the college draft. Phil [Savage] brought this system in and it's the same system [I'm used to]. I don't feel anxious about starting at this point. I know the process. The scouts have been scheduled to come in for scouting meetings Feb. 6 long before I got here."

Who picks the 53-man team?

"In the end, I'll have final say on 53. But it's not what's important.
Why the delay?

"I think it was important to get the right person. I'm glad it was me. It was 3-phrase process -- meeting Randy, meeeting Mike (Keenan) and talking with Eric. I came fro a place I didn't have to leave. It was a great place, I learned a lot. There had to be a comfort level on my side"

What about the skeptics in town about your lack of GM experience?

"I think there's a lot of quality people out there, no doubt about it. I'm going to pull from everybody I can, relationships I've met. I don't think it's unhealthy to want somebody who's had a proven track record. The Browns, I think, have analyzed that. I'm glad they came to this decision. It's up to the people involve to make it the right decision."

What about your point man on draft? Who is it and other staff?

"I'm going to run the [draft] meeting. I'm going to use all those guys. I know a lot of them, I don't know some of them. We're going to attack it."

On the Browns.

"I think there's skill level on this team, competitive talent. To go into specifics, I can't get into it. There's skill and talent and capable players."

Quarterback question.

"We're going to have two quargterbacks on the roster, yes. Both [Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn] have skill level. Brian Daboll's going to be a big part of it and Carl Smith's going to be a big part of it. I'm interested to see what they're going to run. For me to sit here and say we're going to pick one or the other, I need to be more familiar with what Eric and Brian want to do."

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

There is some logic as to how this has played out for the Cleveland Browns
by Terry Pluto / Plain Dealer Columnist
Monday January 26, 2009, 3:13 PM

BEREA -- George Kokinis is in charge of picking the Browns' 53-man roster. That's worth saying first, even though the team's new general manager insisted that fact isn't "important."

But it matters a lot, and Kokinis knows it.

Someone must have the final say on the roster, be it the coach or the GM. Not every decision can be the product of a "consensus," a favorite Kokinis term that will soon be the motto for the front office. At some point, new coach Eric Mangini will want someone, Kokinis will prefer someone else. The GM should prevail because the GM should not be consumed with just winning the next game, as is the case with most coaches.

The GM's job is to build for today and tomorrow.

There are three ways to construct a roster:

1) The college draft.

2) Veteran free agency.

3) Bargain basement shopping, digging players who were not drafted and/or cast aside by other teams.

A good GM excels in all three areas, while a coach simply can't cover all that personnel territory and scheme to beat the Steelers and Ravens, too. Kokinis admits he has spent most of his recent seasons on the pro personnel side, but sounded confident that the scouts put in place by former GM Phil Savage can give him the information needed for the draft, especially since some of those scouts previously worked in Baltimore and use the same basic system as the Ravens.

As Kokinis said at the Monday press conference, it is critical that the coach and GM respect each other. The less strife, the fewer internal battles and nitpicks, the more likely a franchise can have a shot at success -- assuming reasonable people have made intelligent decisions.
Continued

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Mangini says 'best decisions' are main goal in partnership with new GM (and old friend) Kokinis
by Mary Kay Cabot/Plain Dealer Reporter
Monday January 26, 2009, 8:21 PM

BEREA -- Browns coach Eric Mangini and General Manager George Kokinis once lived in a tiny apartment together near the Browns facility and their families have spent time together over the years at the farm of Mangini's father-in-law, Ron Shapiro.

Question is, will their working relationship be as good as their friendship's been over the past 15 years?

"There's a big difference between knowing someone over time and then talking through a lot of the things that we're going to have to deal with day-to-day whether it be the draft, free agency, the 53-man roster, the types of players, how we want to travel, medical or equipment," said Mangini.

Mangini and Kokinis, who worked together here in 1994 and 1995 and in Baltimore in 1996, spent two days in Berea last week going over every aspect of the organization. They discovered they were as in synch as they'd thought they'd be.

"Until you actually have those conversations, you don't know," said Mangini after Kokinis' introductory press conference. "You don't know how someone feels about certain schemes or it could be something as small as how many rookie free agents you bring into rookie minicamp. That's a small thing but it could be a big thing."

Continued

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cleveland Browns ex-GM Phil Savage not talking about his firing
by Tony Grossi
Wednesday January 28, 2009, 10:56 AM
Plain Dealer file

Phil Savage is not ready to talk about his time with the Browns.TAMPA -- In his first official comments since losing his job as Browns general manager, Phil Savage said, "I don't want to talk about it."

Savage poked his head into the Super Bowl media center and was chagrined to see a Cleveland reporter bird-dogging him.

Here's how the five-minute conversation went:

Me: "So tell me what happened?"

Savage: "You'd have to figure that out."

Me: "You had to be surprised at how abruptly it ended for you."

Savage: "Nothing surprises anybody in this league. I think I was more surprised that we trade for Shaun Rogers, he has the year that he had and we go 4-12. That's more surprising to me."

Continued

Dont let the door hit you in the ass on the way out

[LitlBuck]

Cleveland.com

Cleveland Browns should have beat Patriots to the punch
by Tony Grossi
Wednesday January 28, 2009, 6:47 AM

TAMPA -- Did you see that Bill Belichick named former Tennessee General Manager Floyd Reese as senior football advisor?

What a brilliant move.

After he lost Scott Pioli to the Kansas City Chiefs, Belichick realized he needed somebody with quality experience to mentor Pioli's eventual replacement, Nick Caserio, the team's director of player personnel. Reese has almost as many years experience in the NFL (31) as Caserio has on Earth (33).

Now, wouldn't it have made a lot of sense for the Browns to consider Reese in a similar capacity? Wouldn't it have made their organization stronger to have Reese on hand as a sounding board while Eric Mangini, 38, and George Kokinis, 41, retool the Browns' football operations?

Of course it would. Yet Reese couldn't buy an interview with owner Randy Lerner. He was supposedly on Lerner's "B list," but never received a call.
What a shame.

I know that I am in the minority but I would have liked to see the above happen before the hiring of Kokinis. I figure would have helped strengthen the organization from top to bottom.

[Buckrock]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Cleveland.com




I know that I am in the minority but I would have liked to see the above happen before the hiring of Kokinis. I figure would have helped strengthen the organization from top to bottom.

Ernie Acorsi gave Kokinis a very strong recommendation. I think it was more importnat to Randy Lerner to find a Coach and GM on the same page. Mangini is going to do a great job IMO. He's solid.