Browns interview former QB and Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey for opening, AP source says

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns may bring back one of their many former starting quarterbacks to oversee their offense.

The team interviewed Ken Dorsey to be their coordinator on Friday, a person familiar with the meeting told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Dorsey, who was fired by Buffalo earlier this season, is the second candidate to speak with Cleveland, which will conduct more interviews, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Browns are not publicly disclosing interviews.

The Browns have also scheduled a meeting with Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson for the OC position, the person said. Johnson spent this past season helping develop rookie C.J. Stroud, who threw three touchdowns passes in Houston's 45-14 playoff win over Cleveland.

CBSsports.com was first to report the meeting with Dorsey.

ESPN.com first reported the interview with Johnson.

Dorsey played with the Browns from 2006-08 and is one of 37 QBs to start for Cleveland since its expansion reboot in 1999. Dorsey went 0-3 as a starter in 2008. He previously played for San Francisco.

The 42-year-old Dorsey was Buffalo's offensive coordinator before being let go by Bills coach Sean McDermott in November. The Bills are hosting the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC playoff game Sunday, with the winner playing Baltimore for the conference championship.

Cleveland's offensive coordinator spot opened earlier this week with the surprising departure of Alex Van Pelt, who had been on coach Kevin Stefanski's staff since 2020.

Van Pelt was let go along with running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney just days after the Browns were clobbered by the Texans.

The Browns have not provided the reason behind Van Pelt's departure. General manager Andrew Berry is scheduled to meet with reporters Monday.

Last week, the team interviewed Seattle offensive line coach Andy Dickerson for the offensive coordinator opening. Dickerson was an assistant coach with Cleveland under Eric Mangini in 2009-10. He spent the past three seasons on Pete Carroll's staff with the Seahawks.

Before joining the Texans, the 35-year-old Johnson was an assistant QB coach in Minnesota. He also spent three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

This season at Houston, Johnson helped Stroud quickly become one of the NFL's best passers in his first season. The No. 2 overall pick in the draft threw for 4,108 yards with 23 TDs and just five interceptions during the regular season.

Stroud and the Texans were eliminated Saturday with a 34-10 loss at Baltimore.