Norv Turner will join the Browns as Cleveland continues its overhaul after yet another season at the bottom of the AFC North.
Turner is expected to join the coaching staff of new Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski with Norv serving as the offensive coordinator. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Norv Turner and the Browns have settled on terms of a new contract, and the official announcement will come as soon as Turner returns from his vacation.
The move isn’t entirely unexpected. Turner, the former San Diego Chargers head coach , worked with Chudzinski in San Diego. Another Chargers cast-off is expected to join the Browns, with defensive coordinator John Pagano being targeted by “Chud” to become the defensive coordinator in Cleveland, NFL.com reported.
But Pagano joining Norv Turner on the Browns staffwill still take some work, NFL.com noted:
“Pagano’s hire might not be as big a slam dunk as Turner. ESPN reported that the Chargers did not give permission to new Kansas City coach Andy Reid to interview Pagano for the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator job. Pagano remains under contract with San Diego, but that figures to change when the Chargers bring in a new coach. Perhaps they will try to sell the new coach and Pagano on maintaining defensive continuity.”
Norv Turner and the Browns could be a good fit, NFL insiders say. Turner was sacked in San Diego after a 7-9 season in part because quarterback Philip Rivers was sacked 49 times behind a woeful offensive line, but Cleveland actually has a fairly stout line despite its poor records. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weedon was sacked only 28 times this season.