Ray Horton Interviews With Vikings, Ray Farmer Interviews With Dolphins

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings' head coaching vacancy on Wednesday. According to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, the meeting lasted a good period of time. Another local radio host said that Horton's interview with the Vikings reportedly went well:

I heard @Browns DC Ray Horton had 6-hour interview with @Vikings for HC position. Not sure why Browns wouldn't consider promoting him to HC

— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) January 9, 2014

Hearing both Todd Bowles & Ray Horton had good interviews with #Vikings GM Rick Spielman. #Defense

— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) January 8, 2014

Horton has been trying to break the head coaching bubble for a couple of years now, but to no avail. It doesn't sound like the Browns are going to be interviewing him, but if nobody else offers him a head coaching gig, he might be retained in Cleveland if the Browns hire Ken Whisenhunt as their head coach. Whisenhunt had Horton as his defensive coordinator for two years in Arizona and is meeting with the Browns on Saturday.

In other front office news, the Miami Dolphins asked for permission to interview Browns assistant general manager Ray Farmer for their vacant general manager job. According to multiple reports, the Browns granted Farmer permission, and he will interview for the job soon:

A league source confirmed #Browns have granted #Dolphins permission to interview Ray Farmer for their GM job. Farmer is CLE's assistant GM.

— Nate Ulrich (@NateUlrichABJ) January 9, 2014

It won't be easy for Farmer to escape from Michael Lombardi's shadow. Although Farmer has been touted by several NFL reporters as a future general manager, the Dolphins have already asked permission to interview seven candidates, and will be looking at more. Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal wrote an article criticizing the Browns for being prepared to move on from Farmer, rather than promoting him to general manager and ousting Lombardi.