Cleveland Browns Reportedly Adding John Settle as Running Backs Coach

According to a tweet by the site Football Scoop, the Cleveland Browns may have finally filled the opening for their running backs coach:

Sources tell us former Panthers RBs coach John Settle will join the #Browns staff FootballScoop.com/the-scoop

— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) February 7, 2013

Settle was actually an offensive assistant during the Browns' final season prior to the move in 1995. He stuck with that position in Baltimore for two years before joining Fresno State University as their running backs coach in 1998, a position he stayed in until 2005. Settle then went on to the University of Wisconsin for several years before joining the Carolina Panthers in 2011. Settle has been the Panthers' running backs coach for the past two years, hence the connection to new head coach Rob Chudzinski.

When Settle was fired by the Panthers near the beginning of January, Cat Scratch Reader didn't give him the most glowing going-away review:

Coming from Wisconsin in 2011, the assumption was that his strong North-South running philosophy would gel well in Carolina, but the result was anything but. Running backs looked slow in their cuts, and often appeared to be running at brick walls.

Carolina managed to finish 9th in the NFL in rushing, but this was largely on the back of a 210 yard performance from DeAngelo Williams in the season finale, paired with Cam Newton's running ability.

Settle would be replacing former Browns running backs coach Gary Brown. The only significant vacancy remaining on Cleveland's coaching staff is at linebackers coach. Check out Cleveland's entire coaching staff hired to date here.