Let's do a quick rundown of the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
First, they fired Rob Chudzinski after a single year as the head coach. This followed a series of two-year tenures by guys like Eric Mangini and Pat Shurmur, and the general feel around the NFL seemed to be that no one in their right mind would take this job.
General Manager Michael Lombardi apparently finally convinced Mike Pettine, formerly the defensive coordinator in Buffalo, to be their next scapegoat for the 2014 season. So with management's like, 6th choice of coach, the Browns were prepared to head into the 2014 draft with their brain trust in place.
And today, owner Jimmy Haslam announced that Lombardi would be leaving the team and CEO Joe Banner would be stepping down. Assistant GM Ray Farmer is being promoted to fill Lombardi's position. Notably, Farmer wasn't in on head coaching interviews when Pettine was hired.
If there's one thing that's true about sports management, it's that people want to work with their own people. Ray Farmer didn't hire Mike Pettine, and unless he guides the Browns to the AFC North title (spoiler: he won't), he'll be out the door this time next year so the new GM can bring in his own guy. Or his 7th or 8th guy, since no one worth their salt is going to take on the burden of that awful position.
The Browns have a little bit of talent and are in good position heading into the 2014 draft, drafting 4th and 26th overall in the first round. But even with a semblance of stability being possible on the field, the constant management shakeups are going to continue handicapping this team for years to come.
