Mike Holmgren Should Act Sooner Rather Than Later in Naming New Head Coach

Over the past decade, the word continuity is foreign to the Cleveland Browns.

After the firing of head coach Eric Mangini, team president Mike Holmgren is looking to fill the vacancy with a coach who can drive the team over the gauntlet of futility that links their storied past with a brighter future.

The process of returning Cleveland to respectability rests with the ability to move fast and effective in naming the new head coach.

Entering the 2010 offseason with no head coach is nothing new for the Cleveland faithful. Seemingly stuck in some phase of a perpetual rebuild, Browns fans are counting on Holmgren to get it right this time.

Mike Holmgren was brought to the Cleveland Browns in large part because of his vision. It's likely he used 2010 as a season to get accustomed to every aspect of Cleveland Browns football.

Given the mess that was inherited, it's fair to assume that a coaching change did not top the list of priorities to be carried out immediately after he was hired.

Now that change is underway, Holmgren has mentioned there is no time frame to appoint the next pillar of hope in a city desperate for a winner.

The longer the search drags on to fill the coaching vacancy, the less likely the Browns chances for success in the coming season.

Hiring a new head coach is more than just appointing a successor to Eric Mangini. It is well known that Holmgren granted Mangini and staff the ability to coach the Browns in 2010 void of any micromanagement from the front office. While this is respectable, it most likely will result in greater roster turnover once a coach is named. 

A new coaching staff means new defensive and offensive coordinators, who will most likely incorporate a version of the west coast offense and potential change in the defensive scheme. The end result of Holmgren keeping his distance last season will mean swift rapid change in all phases of offense and defense now that he is setting the direction of the team by hiring the head coach.

Inevitably, this will spell a great deal of roster turnover as the team assembles the right group of players to execute the changes.

There is no question the hierarchy created over the past year will still facilitate the drafting of players and additions through trades and free agency. However, there should be no doubt that the next head coach will have a say in shaping the roster through an equally critical voice of influence that will play a vital role in the direction of the team.

Successfully implementing all of these changes will take time—time that Cleveland does not have if they wish to build on any improvements they made over the past year and be competitive in 2011.

Following the press conference Monday, Holmgren remarked that he didn't make up his mind to fire the coaching staff until that very morning.

I would guess this holds about as much truth as Lebron James trying to convince the nation that he did not decide in finality to sign with the Miami Heat until a few hours before The Decision.

Logic would tell me the decision to let Eric Mangini go was made far in advance of the Pittsburgh game this past Sunday. While it's true he did allow the previous staff the ability to do things their way, that doesn't mean he wasn't watching.

The potential for change and list of candidates must have been thought out for some time now. Perhaps he's just bluffing, but the fact remains this is no surprise. The Browns should be prepared in advance for this coaching change.

All reasons for the Big Show to get on with the show as soon as possible in naming a successor.

While it's certain the hiring process deserves deep insight and analysis given the importance of getting it right, the Browns simply can not afford to drag their feet.

To successfully implement the changes ahead will take time. The more swift the hire, the sooner clarity can begin to melt the fog of questions surrounding the direction that the Browns will go moving forward.

Thus, this allows for the maximum time frame to incorporate the players into the new environment, continuing the development of the talented rookies and hopefully write the first chapter of sustained success of the new Cleveland Browns.