CLEVELAND – While the hiring of new head coach Rob Chudzinski may not be the “big splash” many Cleveland Browns fans had hoped for, it may be just the thing for tight end Jordan Cameron.
Chudzinski, the former offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, was hired by the Browns to take over a team that was near the bottom of nearly every offensive category in the 2012-13 season.
The 44-year-old native of Toledo, may not have the big-name credentials of a Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher or Chip Kelly, but in terms of his work on offense—especially the tight end position—the biggest beneficiary of Chudzinski’s hiring might be the third-year tight end out of USC.
A former tight ends coach for the Browns in 2004 under Butch Davis, Chudzinski would leave Cleveland for the same position for the San Diego Chargers. In San Diego, Chudzinski would help develop a converted basketball player out of Kent State by the name of Antonio Gates into one of the premier tight ends in the game.
Under Chudzinski’s tutelage, Gates caught 89 passes for 1,101 yards and scored ten touchdowns in 2005 and 71 catches for 924 yards and nine touchdowns in 2006, before returning to the Browns in 2007 as offensive coordinator.
Back home in his native Ohio, he would help develop Kellen Winslow II into a Pro Bowl tight end, as Winslow would catch 82 passes for a career-best 1,106 yards and five touchdowns.
After a second stint with the Chargers as tight ends coach/assistant head coach in 2009-10, Chudzinski would be named offensive coordinator for the Panthers in 2011.
In Carolina, he would help tight end Greg Olsen set career highs in catches (69) and receiving yards (843)
With a proven track record of developing tight ends into Pro-Bowl caliber players, why can’t Cameron achieve the same kind of success in Chudzinski’s tight-end friendly system?
With multiple reports stating that Chudzinski will be hiring his former boss in Norv Turner as offensive coordinator, there is no reason why Cameron will breakout.
Make no mistake, Cameron was underutilized in Pat Shurmur’s conservative version of the West Coast Offense(WCO), as he would catch a mere 20 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown.
Based on his past track record with tight ends, Chudzinski will not make that same mistake with the 6’5, 245-pounder.
With a vertical downfield passing attack tailor made for his unique blend of speed and athleticism, look for Cameron to play a big role in the Chudzinski’s offense in 2013.
Robert D. Cobb is the Founder/CEO/Senior Editor-In-Chief Of The Inscriber : Digital Magazine, for questions, comments and concerns email me at robcobb@theinscriber.com and follow the Inscriber : Digital Magazine on Twitter at @TheInscriber