BEREA, Ohio – Not long after Steve Wilks was fired as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, his phone was ringing.

Several teams wanted him to interview for their defensive coordinator position.

At the Thursday press conference where the Browns introduced their three new coordinators, Wilks explained how he put the Browns at the top of his list.

“My first interview,” he said. “I scheduled this first because it’s where I want to be.”

Why?

“Young personnel,” he said. "You can’t win in this league without a quarterback. And we have a quarterback. He’s an alpha male and affects the whole team.”

The presence of Baker Mayfield has changed so much for the Browns – even making the team more attractive to a defensive coordinator.

Wilks also talked about young players on defense such as Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers, Denzel Ward and Damarious Randall.

But he mentioned something else – the John Dorsey front office.

A coordinator is at the mercy of those who pick the players.

Dorsey has an excellent track record in that area, dating back to his four years (2014-17) as general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I can’t ask for a better situation,” said Wilks.

WHAT REALLY MATTERS

New offensive coordinator Todd Monken interviewed to be head coach of the New York Jets.

He was the offensive coordinator with Tampa Bay last season, when the Bucs ranked No. 1 in passing yardage.

Monken was fired along with the entire coaching staff. Other teams were interested in him. The 53-year-old Monken was a successful college coach.

He took a Southern Mississippi team that was 4-32 in the three years before he arrived, and then built them slowly: 1-11, 3-9 and 9-5.

He could have stayed at Southern Mississippi, but the Bucs came calling.

So why Cleveland?

He mentioned three reasons:

1. Opportunity to win.

2. Franchise quarterback.

3. Calling plays.

He said play calling is behind those other things, along with the people he’ll be working for – primarily head coach Freddie Kitchens and Dorsey.

He knows Kitchens will be calling plays. The other things are more important.

“I’ve always made decisions based on people and opportunity to win,” said Monken.

Left unsaid is if the Browns do have a strong 2019 season, Monken could look attractive to another team wanting a head coach.

COMING HOME

Mike Priefer spent the previous eight years as the special teams coach with the Minnesota Vikings.

That team offered him a chance to return. He decided on the Browns instead.

Priefer spent the first 10 years of his life in Cleveland, where his father, Chuck, coached at Padua High School.

His Minnesota special teams unit was ranked No. 4 by Profootballfocus. The Browns were dead last – 32nd – under former coordinator Amos Jones.

Unlike Wilks and Monken, who had no prior relationship with Dorsey or Kitchens, Priefer was a ballboy with the Green Bay Packers when Dorsey was a special teams player there. His father, Chuck Priefer, was Green Bay’s special teams coach (1984-85).

That’s why it was agonizing for Dorsey to watch the Browns disastrous special teams. He was a special teams player for five seasons.

It’s also why he targeted Priefer at the end of the season. Priefer stressed how his special teams had the fewest penalties in the NFL last season (7).

By contrast, the Browns ranked 24th, with 21 flags on special teams.

Priefer grew up a Browns fan. He wanted this job. He could have gone elsewhere.

“I want to be the best special teams coach the Browns have ever had,” he said.

In the past, the Browns would hire one or two big name coordinators. But it’s rare for them to have three of this high caliber who just signed up with the Browns.