AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Texans

Browns

Mary Kay Cabot reports that a decision regarding the Browns’ head-coaching job isn’t expected to come until Sunday.

• Jason La Canfora reports that the Browns came close to hiring Scott Pioli as their general manager before they ultimately decided to go with John Dorsey back in 2017.
• Sources tell La Canfora that Pioli was someone the Haslams thought very highly of and they did extensive research on him.
• According to La Canfora, Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta was even a supporter of Pioli.
• However, the Browns needed to wait until after the season to interview him for their vacancy and Haslam was eager to make an in-season hire with the team coming off an 0-16 season.
• Haslam wanted their next GM to have time to evaluate the entire organization before focusing on the offseason. If Haslam had been willing to wait until the end of the regular season, La Canfora a deal with Pioli was possible.
• La Canfora adds that it remains to be seen whether Browns ownership or DePodesta would attempt to hire Pioli this time around.
• There has been a lot of buzz about Andrew Berry returning to Cleveland and the Browns next GM.
• Albert Breer reports that the Browns have begun reference checks and interview requests on candidates for their General Manager vacancy and plan to select a head coach and a general manager to pair him with.  
• Breer points out that Colts’ assistant GM Ed Dodds, who was granted permission to interview with the Browns, is among four general manager candidates that could be paired with Saleh along with 49ers VP Adam Peters and Seahawks’ executives Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner. 
• Mary Kay Cabot mentions that Bills’ assistant GM Joe Schoen could be a candidate for the Browns’ general manager position if they hire Daboll as their next head coach. 

Ravens

• Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that Ravens S Chuck Clark is open to an extension with Baltimore.
• Clark took over for Tony Jefferson in the starting lineup midseason and helped the backend of the defense.
• La Canfora says the Ravens could look to move on from Jefferson in the coming months and reallocate the cap savings to Clark.
• Clark will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2020 and stands to make a base salary of $735,000.

Texans

• According to James Palmer of NFL Network, Texans WR Will Fuller (groin) is expected to play in Sunday’s Divisional Round game against the Chiefs.
• The Texans announced that S Jahleel Addae (knee) and TE Jordan Akins (hamstring) have been ruled out of Sunday’s Divisional Round game against the Chiefs and did not travel with the team.