Brown was passed over by a highly sought-after offensive coordinator candidate because…

Teams looking for a new offensive coordinator were quite interested in Kellen Moore this offseason, and the Cleveland Browns appeared to be putting a lot of effort into acquiring him. Despite having other interviews scheduled, he was optimistic about being one of the coaches they had interviewed to replace Alex Van Pelt.

The likelihood of the two getting together suddenly evaporated on Saturday night. Moore never left the building after traveling to Philadelphia for an interview on the Eagles opening. He was named as the replacement for Brian Johnson, who was sacked by Nick Siranni and is one of Cleveland’s other alternatives. Jerrod could yet be included as well. Johnson, who spent the previous season coaching the Houston Texans’ quarterbacks.

Cleveland is looking far and wide for their next offensive lineman, but they’re also taking their time. They approached the search for a new defensive coordinator last season in a manner akin to this, ultimately hiring Jim Schwartz to succeed Joe Woods. That turned out nicely, and as they test every tire, this front office has shown they are deserving of a chance to prove themselves.

With Moore out, there are three coaches currently in the running — that we are aware including Brian Johnson, Jerrod Johnson, and Ken Dorsey. Brian Johnson, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, has one year of experience as an offensive coordinator. He took over when Shane Steichen was hired as the head coach for the Indianapolis Colts.

Steichen led the Eagles to the No. 1 offense in terms of yardage and No. 3 in scoring during the 2002 campaign. That helped Philly make it to the Super Bowl and left Johnson with some big shoes to fill. The offense declined under Johnson, finishing eighth in yards and seventh in points — but a late-season slump led to their early playoff dismissal and Johnson’s ousting.