This won't make Ravens fans happy

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Savage named new Browns GM

 

Moving expeditiously to secure the man who rapidly ascended to the front runner's perch, the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday reached agreement with Baltimore Ravens personnel director Phil Savage to become their general manager, ESPN.com has confirmed.

 

An official announcement could come on Thursday, assuming final contract details are completed. Savage has been a frequent candidate in the past for general manager jobs, but either the timing or the fit wasn't right. The Browns job, however, is one in which he indicated keen interest from the outset.

 

Savage will be the first man to hold the title of general manager since the second incarnation of the Browns began in 1999.

 

Owner Randy Lerner and team president John Collins interviewed Savage for four hours on Monday and then huddled Tuesday with him for a second time. It had been rumored that Cleveland would move quickly once club officials identified their man.

 

The Browns options were severely reduced when five potential candidates were either denied permission by their current teams to interview for the job, or opted not to pursue it. That is not to suggest, however, that Savage is not a top-shelf candidate or that the Browns were forced to "settle" for the man who will run their football operation.

 

One of the league's highest regarded talent evaluators, Savage made a strong initial impression on Lerner and Collins, and he received strong endorsements from Ravens officials, including general manager Ozzie Newsome. The Baltimore drafts have been among the best in the NFL over the last five or six years, and Savage has been a major part of that success.

 

About the only qualm that Browns officials had was that Savage has worked primarily from his home in Mobile, Ala., and has limited experience in an office environment. But, clearly, that was not a sufficient enough issue to deter the Browns from offering him the opportunity to rebuild their football program.

 

Savage, 39, began his NFL career as a quality control coach with the former Cleveland organization, switched to the personnel department in the mid-1990s, and then made the move with the franchise to Baltimore in 1996. He rose quickly up the ranks of the Ravens scouting department and was elevated to personnel director last year.

 

In the past, Savage had interviewed for general manager-level positions in Jacksonville, Miami and Chicago. In some cases he withdrew from consideration. But he knows the Cleveland area well, understands the passion there, and apparently feels that the timing and situation are right for him.

 

Savage is expected to have significant input into the choice of the Browns' next head coach. Lerner and Collins interviewed Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress on Tuesday and are scheduled to meet with New England defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel on Saturday.

 

Pittsburgh associate head coach Russ Grimm is tentatively slated for a Saturday interview, and the Browns are also expected to meet with Ed Donatell, the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator.

 

Oh man...this doesn't bode well for the AFC on a whole since the man can build defenses and if he brings in a Romeo Crennel or Ed Donatell then things will get real interesting real fast. Cleveland already has a damn good pass rush with their line right now...I think Savage will fix the Secondary and LBers before even looking at a QB in this upcoming draft. DrTom and Marvin are gonna need a hug.

[Dr. Tom 0]

I hope the Ravens can maintain their success in the draft without Savage. He's been a key contributor to building the team, and he'll definitely be missed. It was just a matter of time before he took a GM job somewhere in the leage (I think he turned down Jax last offseason), and I'm sure he'll do fine.

 

There is a final gift he could give to Ravens' fans, though: hire Matt Cavanaugh as the Offensive coordinator in Cleveland.

[Guest El Satanico]

I was very pleased to hear this news yesterday and it sounds like we have a good GM. I hope he can sign up a good coach. With good coaches attached it won't take him as much work, as many may think, to turn around our franchise.

 

He better look at offensive linemen before looking at secondary, LBers or QBs.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Why the fuck are the Browns interested in Ed "My defense allowed the most infamous 4th down conversion in NFL history" Donatell?

[the pinjockey 0]

Maybe they want the Ed "the Falcons allowed the 30th most points before I arrived, 14th most my first year as DC" Donatell.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Why the fuck are the Browns interested in Ed "My defense allowed the most infamous 4th down conversion in NFL history" Donatell?

I think its become pretty clear that the players were at fault for that one. The fact they changed almost none of them over (with the exception of getting rid of McKenzie and adding that rookie) their defense was the same for the new coach and did even worse. That's a sign that the coach(Donatell) was getting the most out of his talent.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yeah but it's not exactly like bringing a terrible defense up to middle of the road makes you immediate head coach material. The guy has only served in Atlanta one stinkin' year. Although I definitely disagreed with his firing from Green Bay (I think Rossley deserved it more), he was a good, but not great defensive coordinator, and he's taken that over to Atlanta and done much of the same job he had done with Green Bay.

 

Mike Nolan deserves much more credit than Donatell does. Nolan had to fill in for Marvin Lewis, and take over the best defense in the league which had lost most of its major stars to free agency or retirement and maintained it among the best, not to mention he has done it consistently for the past 4 years.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Mike Nolan could be headed to San Fran though to become their HC.

[Guest Vitamin X]

There's still many more better defensive coordinators out there than Donatell.