#HeyTony: How does Mike McDaniel’s withdrawal affect the Browns’ coaching search?

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.

Hey Tony: With Mike McDaniel withdrawing from consideration does this put more pressure on Andrew Berry to satisfy the Rooney Rule more quickly in case another team has high interest in either Grant Udinski or Nathan Scheelhaase?

-- Chad, Fort Wayne, IN

Hey Chad: I feel Berry took a very deliberate approach to complying with the Rooney Rule (two in-person interviews with minority candidates from outside the organization). He did not consider it a hindrance but rather an opportunity to introduce viable minority candidates into his search. Other GMs and owners have viewed it other ways. Bob Kraft, for instance, interviewed two minorities not even active in the NFL last year (or this year) to lead-block the hiring of Mike Vrabel, who was his only legitimate consideration for the Patriots job. This year, the Giants and Titans intentionally conducted minority interviews early because they targeted John Harbaugh as their No. 1 candidate and understood, through back channels, that a protracted search was not going to net Harbaugh. Berry stayed true to his process. But he probably didn’t anticipate McDaniel canceling his in-person interview. Now he must find another minority candidate besides Scheelhaase to enter the process. And if the Browns want to hire Scheelhaase, they can’t do so until the Rams finish their season, perhaps through the Super Bowl. As for someone swooping in and stealing Udinski, no other team has requested him for a head coach interview.

Hey Tony: Who’s in pole position to be the next HC, now that Mike McDaniel took himself out of consideration?

-- Mike, Ceres, CA

Hey Mike: I never considered McDaniel a serious contender, to be honest. Others did, but not me. For now, I would say Udinski is the front-runner, with Scheelhaase second. Jim Schwartz, I believe, is a fallback consideration.

Hey Tony: If Grant Udinski gets the HC job, who are possible Defensive Coordinator candidates, if not Schwartz?

-- Chris, Los Angeles, CA

Hey Chris: This possibility has to concern the Browns. If Udinski gets the job, and Schwartz elects not to stay, they will have to find a respectable, veteran defensive coordinator to pair with Udinski. I’m sure they’ll find one. But don’t expect the defense to operate at an elite level with just anybody in charge.

Hey Tony: If they offered the head coaching job to Udinski or McDaniel, is Schwartz gone?

-- Sean, Mansfield, OH

Hey Sean: Well, Mike McDaniel withdrew his name from consideration. So let’s substitute Nathan Scheelhaase for him. Would Jim Schwartz stay as DC to either Udinski or Scheelhaase? The Browns probably have that answer, but I don’t.

Hey Tony: With the search stretching out into possibly next week, how much of a negative impact will that have on the new coach’s ability to put together a quality staff?

-- Jason, Buffalo, NY

Hey Jason: There is going to be a mad rush among about a dozen teams to fill coaching staffs once all the head coach jobs are in. Right now, they are not behind the pack. Baltimore and Pittsburgh are among the teams in the same boat.

Hey Tony: Assuming they go young OC, is it possible they want their own QB?

-- Bryan, Youngstown, OH

Hey Bryan: If we’ve learned anything over the last six years it is that GM Andrew Berry owns the quarterback position. The “young OC”, or young HC, will likely have to defer to him.

Hey Tony: Are the Browns aware of the vitriol that will come down on them after they name the next head coach? Their candidates are not appealing.

-- Rick, Columbus, OH

Hey Rick: I’m sure they’re aware.

Hey Tony: Who is one Browns head coach that you're surprised never received another HC opportunity given the circumstances and adversity faced here?

-- Alan, Buffalo, NY

Hey Alan: I used to think Rob Chudzinski got the bummest deal; fired after one season after the CEO traded his starting running back and his starting quarterback was lost to an ACL injury. But now I think Mike Pettine deserves that distinction. He put together what proved to be a great coaching staff and had the Browns at 6-3 at their bye week with Brian Hoyer playing his ass off. The pressure from GM Ray Farmer and club prez Alec Scheiner to play Johnny Manziel sabotaged everything. After Pettine lost Kyle Shanahan and Hoyer, he had no chance his second season. The experience actually traumatized Pettine into never aspiring to be a head coach again. He recently retired from the assistant coach ranks.

Hey Tony: With the focus on the coaching search, it doesn't change the pressing need to rebuild the O-line. The Bears showed it can be done in one offseason.  How should Andrew Berry approach this in terms of draft vs. free agency vs. developing who we have?

-- John, Mayfield Heights, OH

Hey John: Yes, the Bears did it, but one big difference is they had the cap room to trade for two veteran starters and give them contract extensions, and then sign another in free agency. Because of dead cap charges and the ongoing Deshaun Watson cap situation, the Browns don’t have a lot of leeway to spend on veterans. My initial thought is Berry will have to rely more on the draft and internal development of Dawand Jones, Luke Wypler and Zak Zinter.

Hey Tony: Would you rate offensive line or receiver as biggest need?

-- Mike, Brunswick, OH

Hey Mike: Let’s see, they need five new starters on the offensive line and probably two at wide receiver. Since five is greater than two, I’d say the offensive line.

Hey Tony: Could Malik Willis be our Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones? Do you prefer that route or sticking with Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson?

-- Kyle, Celina, OH

Hey Kyle: While Willis is an intriguing player, he will cost them more than they could afford because of the Watson cap charges and dead cap charges of numerous players no longer whose contracts were adjusted by Berry to make cap room for previous years. In other words, Willis is not an option.