Report: Browns eye Brad Childress

Brad Childress is the frontrunner to become the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, according to a report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The Plain Dealer, citing a league source, reported that the Browns had narrowed their search to Childress and Mike Sherman, but Sherman is close to becoming the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins. That leaves the Browns with Childress, who would become the first offensive coordinator under head coach Pat Shurmur.

The hiring could happen in a few days, according to the report. Childress' ties with Shurmur date back to the Philadelphia Eagles, where Childress was the offensive coordinator from 2003 to 2005 and Shurmur was the quarterbacks coach there.

In his first season as the Browns' head coach, Shurmur also served as the offensive coordinator and called his own plays. The Cleveland offense finished 29th in yards per game and 30th in points per game.

Childress, 55, was out of football last season after being fired as the Minnesota Vikings' coach in November 2010. He guided the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game in 2009, but he followed that up with a 3-7 season before being removed as coach.

Jamison Hensley is the AFC North blogger for ESPN.com.