Former Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman is high on the Browns' list in their search for an offensive coordinator. Unfortunately for Cleveland, he is on another team's wishlist: as a head coaching candidate.
Sherman was fired after putting together a .500 record in four seasons with the Aggies. He is one of the finalists for the vacant Tampa Bay coaching job after a potential deal with Oregon Coach Chip Kelly fell through, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The Bucs are scheduling second interviews from a list of known candidates that include [Sherman,] former Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, former Vikings coach Brad Childress, former Browns, Chiefs, Redskins and Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
Childress is also in the conversation to take over playcalling duties for the Browns, which finished 29th in offense under first-year head coach Pat Shurmur.
The Browns were criticized all year for their lack of innovation and inability to move the football in Shurmur's west coast offense. Although the offense opened up a bit near the end of the year, a combination of headscratching calls and an absence of playmakers only added to Cleveland's ineptitude.
One thing can be said for Sherman: even though A&M found ways to blow every lead imaginable in 2011, it wasn't for a lack of scoring. The Aggies averaged 39 points a game.