NFL Notes: 49ers, Browns, & Buccaneers

49ers

• Tim Kawakami reports that the 49ers did interview Browns OC John DeFilippo, but mainly as an offensive coordinator candidate in case they don’t land Bengals OC Hue Jackson.
• According to Kawakami, if the 49ers have to extend their head-coaching search, they could include defensive-minded candidates while packaging him with DeFilippo as offensive coordinator.
• However, Kawakami adds that Jackson is still viewed as the “front-runner” for the 49ers’ job.
• Regarding Chip Kelly, Kawakami mentions that San Francisco decided Jackson was their guy after their meeting with Kelly.

Browns

• Mary Kay Cabot reports that it’s not a foregone conclusion that the Bengals OC Hue Jackson will be the next head coach of the 49ers.
• According to Cabot, Jackson will head into both interviews on Sunday with the Browns and 49ers with an open mind, and he’s “equally interested” in both jobs.
• A source tells Cabot that Jackson has both teams on a “level playing field” heading into Sunday, and there’s still a chance that he could draw interest from other teams as the process unfold.

Buccaneers

• Even though many have said that Buccaneers OC Dirk Koetter is the guy to watch for their head-coaching vacancy, Rick Stroud writes Koetter shouldn’t be considered the “prohibitive favorite.”
• In fact, Stroud adds that the Bucs didn’t fire Smith because they feared Koetter going to another team.