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The Cleveland Browns reportedly hired Joker Phillips as their new wide receivers coach earlier today, so now they are prepared to turn their attention to the only other vacant position coach on the team: quarterbacks coach. As Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network relayed, the Browns have a couple of candidates on their radar:
After having Kevin O’Connell in today to interview for #Browns QB coach job, they have ex-#Florida OC Kurt Roper scheduled for tomorrow.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 28, 2015
Kevin O'Connell was a third-round pick by the Patriots in 2008. It's hard to imagine that a player drafted less than a decade ago is already interviewing to be a quarterbacks coach at 29 years of age. He was cut by the Patriots in 2009 after being beaten out by QB Brian Hoyer. His final playing gig was in 2012, but he never really played in the regular season. Since then, he's reportedly been a private quarterbacks coach and also has some experience with QB Johnny Manziel:
Kevin O’Connell now a private QB coach, worked w/ George Whitfield at Whitfield’s camp, there tutored Manziel. Interviewing w/ #Browns.
— PatMcManamon (@PatMcManamon) January 28, 2015
Kurt Roper will interview tomorrow, per Rapoport. He was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Florida Gators last year and has worked with the likes of Eli Manning and...Thaddeus Lewis...at the college level. He's also previously served as a quarterbacks coach under Phillips.