Yesterday evening local Cleveland radio reported that Kelly to the Browns was a virtual certainty and while he's going to talk to both the Eagles and the Bills today, by tonight there will be an announcement of his hire. Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland said he would be very surprised if this doesnt happen today and that the team is "backing up the brinks truck" to make this happen.
http://espncleveland.com/common/more.php?m=49&action=blog&r=19&post_id=1...
But even if Chip doesn't end up here it seems a virtual certainty he'd coming to the NFL next year and he's going to run "his" offense in the pro's. Lots and lots of discussion around here concerning his system and if it can work given the roster size he'll have to work with and the potential for QB injury. And in Cleveland the roster will need to revamped (Brandon Weedon is NOT a spread QB) to function properly but it sure looks like the Brownies are about to take the plunge.
Personally I think it will work - at least at first - simply because it will be so radically different than anything the other teams practice for each week. The Patriots have incorporated elements of his tempo and the Redskins and Panthers run variations of the spread but no team yet has gone "all in" on the uptempo spread offense. Until now. Spread QBs can be had pretty cheap (I'm thinking Alex Smith running the show) and other spread-type players (linemen/slot receivers) are also not terribly valued in the NFL so putting together the roster on offense shouldn't require a lot of cap space. Leaving lots of room for spending on the defense where it will be surely needed.
Will it work? I think so and for the first time in the last 10 years or so I'm actually excited about Cleveland Browns football. My only question is if he comes will we have to start wearing alternate jersey's and helmets every week?
EDIT: Cleveland Plain Dealer Browns beat report Mary Kay Cabot is now reporting that the Browns and Kelly are meeting again tonight and has been told by sources inside the Browns organization to expect an announcement tonight. For those of you unfamiliar with Grossi or Cabot they are NOTHING like the Detroit sports media and if they report something like this you can generally count on it actually happening.
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2013/01/cleveland_browns_meeti...


They had some Oregon beat reporter on WKNR the other day and someone (Rizzo?) asked if Kelly runs his practices like NFL practices. The guy said he has covered NFL teams in the past and that Kellys practices are better than the NFL practices he has seen.
Excited if the Brownies get him.
For the strength of the pack is the Wolv, and the strength of the Wolv is the pack.