When Browns coach Hue Jackson was asked last week about the future of defensive coordinator Ray Horton, he headed off the discussion and any like it.
But the interesting part will be whether Jackson is able to protect a guy he hand-picked for the job, amid the inevitable uncertainty that comes with being 0-10.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Horton’s status and Jackson’s decision to bench rookie quarterback Cody Kessler last week have led to “heightened tension” within the Browns organization.
There’s also mention that owner Jimmy Haslam and his wife Dee have become increasingly hands-on with the operation, including a number of non-football departments reporting directly to them.
“You basically have a husband and wife in charge of various areas they don’t really understand — football, coaching, scouting, analytics, ticketing, marketing,” a team source told La Canfora. “And that’s the way they want it.”
Of course, any sense of uncertainty in the Browns organization is created by Haslam himself, since he’s done nothing to create the kind of stability people were hoping for there, considering his background as a partial owner of the Steelers.
He changes coaches and General Managers the way many people change the oil in their cars, and there hasn’t been a rebate in sight for Cleveland fans who have actually been able to enjoy success in other sports.
