The Cleveland Browns are deep into the process of finding their own new head coach after firing Kevin Stefanski. Meanwhile, Stefanski has interviewed with six teams and is the favorite to land a job with one of the Browns’ fiercest rivals.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano predicted on Tuesday, January 13 that Stefanski will eventually land with the Baltimore Ravens as their new head coach, which means he will face Cleveland at least twice every season as an AFC North Division opponent.
“The Ravens know Stefanski from having played against his Browns teams for the past six years (Baltimore was 8-4 against Stefanski-coached Cleveland teams), and Stefanski is a popular candidate on this circuit,” Graziano wrote. “He’s a mid-Atlantic, East Coast guy who would fit in a place like here or New York.”
Stefanski isn’t necessarily the most prized candidate during this coaching cycle due to the presence of former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on the market, but he may still have his choice of a couple of jobs. Because of that, what Baltimore can offer Stefanski also matters in this discussion.
“Having Lamar Jackson and a winning culture in place makes Baltimore the most appealing landing spot among the current openings,” Graziano continued. “Stefanski had 13 different starting QBs in Cleveland, but he would get a true franchise passer in Jackson in Baltimore.”
NFL Betting Odds List Kevin Stefanski as Favorite to Become Next Baltimore Head Coach
DraftKings Sportsbook has been tracking the coaching cycle with updated hiring odds over the last several days.
Its conclusions to date are in step with Graziano’s prediction placing Stefanski with the Ravens when the coaching carousel finally stops in Baltimore.
“[Brian] Flores has the T-3rd highest odds to become the next HC of the Ravens. His odds are +450, with Kevin Stefanski (+350) and Jesse Minter (+350),” The Purple Persuasion X account posted Wednesday. “Todd Monken also has the same odds as Flores at +450. Overall, the Ravens job is very wide open on the books.”
Vikings DC Brian Flores May Prove Kevin Stefanski’s Top Competition for Ravens’ Head Coaching Job
The Baltimore position is not settled, though Stefanski is in good shape if the team decides to hire an offensive-minded head coach rather than a DC.
Minter has masterminded a strong defense for the Los Angeles Chargers over the last two seasons (two playoff appearances), while Flores has been a revelation for the Minnesota Vikings defense over the past three years.
Meanwhile, Monken was the offensive coordinator in Baltimore under Harbaugh for the last three seasons and multiple reports from around the NFL indicated that one of the sticking points in Harbaugh’s firing was an unwillingness to part with Monken as his OC. As such, it strains credulity to imagine the Ravens would fire Harbaugh just to replace him with Monken.
Graziano also predicted on Tuesday that Minter will end up leading the Pittsburgh Steelers following Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down after 19 seasons at the helm. Logically, that would clear a path between the oddsmakers’ top four candidates in Baltimore for a showdown between Stefanski and Flores for the job.
If the Ravens decide to restructure and/or extend Jackson’s contract as their quarterback this offseason, which is likely considering his status as a two-time league MVP, then Baltimore will probably lean toward an offensive head coach. If that happens, Stefanski has to be considered the leader in the clubhouse at this point.
