Whatever the Browns decide at season’s end, they should not let Jim Schwartz leave the building

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

Second thoughts on 49ers 26, Browns 8 …

1. Two years ago, the Browns let offensive line guru Bill Callahan, their best coach, walk out of the building to join the Tennessee Titans. Yes, Callahan wanted to coach with his son, Brian, who had been named Titans head coach, but a source has since told me that Callahan was upset that the Browns let go of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and didn’t like the path they were following. Last year, the Browns let coaching and personnel consultant Mike Vrabel, one of the best coaches in the NFL, walk out of the building because they didn’t have a more meaningful position for him. Yes, Vrabel was attracted to the head coaching vacancy with the New England Patriots, but he told me at the NFL Combine in February that he “would have listened” to an offer to stay with the Browns, his hometown team, in some capacity. Now the Browns are facing another potential crossroads with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

2. In three seasons, Schwartz has made the Browns’ defense an elite unit respected by everyone in the NFL. If you say “Cleveland Browns” in NFL circles, the first thought is “Damn, that defense!” – and not “They’re a joke of a team that has gone 6-23 over the last two seasons.” Like he has with several other defensive linemen in his long career, Schwartz has taken Myles Garrett to another level and has also furthered the development of home-grown draft picks Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, Anthony Wright, Isaiah McGuire, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (before his neck injury), Mason Graham and Carson Schwesinger. Schwartz may be able to overcome the Browns’ losing syndrome and be viewed as a head coach candidate in the next NFL hiring cycle.

3. At 59, Schwartz bucks the recent trend of 40ish offensive-minded NFL hires. In fact, the hiring pendulum may be swinging to the defensive side, thanks in part to successes this season of Vrabel with New England and Mike Macdonald with Seattle, and the continuing success of DeMeco Ryans with the Houston Texans. The impending NFL hiring cycle certainly will circulate the names of Jesse Minter, 42, defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers; Chris Shula, 39, defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams; Jeff Hafley, 46, defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers; Robert Saleh, 46, defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, one-time Browns head coach candidate, and former head coach of the New York Jets; and Brian Flores, 44, defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings and former head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Like Saleh and Flores, Schwartz has an NFL head coach stint on his resume – 29-52, one playoff appearance in five seasons with the Detroit Lions after taking over an 0-16 team in 2009.

4. It’s undeniable that the Haslams will face a difficult decision at season’s end. Do they stick with the Kevin Stefanski program after a fourth losing season in six years and second dismal season in a row? In July, owner Jimmy Haslam was asked to define a successful season for the Browns in 2025. He demurred with a laugh and said, “Listen, we got to do better than three [wins], OK? To put a number on it, I don’t think we will ever do that. Everybody -- coaches, players, personnel, ownership -- all know that 3-14 won’t cut it. We’ve got to do better. I think we’ll know what better looks like.” “Better” does not look like the 3-9 debacle Stefanski is stumbling through. Set aside all the quarterback issues Stefanski has been saddled with. The historical special teams breakdowns, offensive line inadequacies and overall offensive ineptitude have made it a difficult sell to his fan base for Haslam to bring back Stefanski. With analytics maven Paul DePodesta – Stefanski’s No. 1 advocate – expelled to the MLB hinterlands with the Colorado Rockies, Stefanski’s seat has never been hotter.

5. So here’s the thing: If the Haslams conclude a coaching change is in order, then they should do the act soon and give Schwartz an audition as the next head coach. They might also heed the example of Marty Schottenheimer. When former Browns owner Art Modell fired Sam Rutigliano in the middle of the 1984 season, the original plan was to name Schottenheimer, Rutigliano’s defensive coordinator, as interim head coach. Schottenheimer refused that designation and insisted he be named head coach without the interim title. Modell relented and signed Schottenheimer as the full-time coach. Schottenheimer then took the Browns to four straight playoff berths and three division titles.

6. I think Schwartz will be a better head coach the second time around. I am not advocating the Haslams fire Stefanski. But if that does happen, the Browns better not let Schwartz leave the building. If that means making him the next Browns head coach, then so be it.