The Browns have hired a head coach, and he looks like a good one: former Buffalo defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who ran an underrated defense a year ago. On offense, though, the Browns appear to be operating about as they've done for years, which is to say, backwards.
Cleveland has hired former Titans offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains as its quarterbacks coach, although he may also remain a candidate to be offensive coordinator. That spot hasn't yet been filled, in part it appears because their targets keep either turning them down or taking jobs elsewhere. It's not clear which category former Washington coordinator Kyle Shanahan falls into, but the linked article suggests he won't be joining the Browns.
Cleveland has also hired a tight ends coach, and will soon be hiring a running backs coach, giving it three offensive assistants in place -- but no coordinator. Doesn't exactly instill confidence that an offense 18th in yards and 27th in points last season will make a big step up.
The Browns will almost certainly be drafting a quarterback with their top pick, so these hires are crucial. Loggains has some experience working with a young, talented quarterback in Jake Locker, although results there were mixed.
It's worrying that what the Browns say is a patient, careful search looks a lot like an unfocused one with a coordinator not being hired so much as, most likely, settled on.
--Andy Richardson