UPDATED: 11:22 p.m.

Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot / Plain Dealer Reporters

BEREA, Ohio -- Less than 24 hours after Browns owner Randy Lerner pledged to add a new "credible, serious leader" to reorganize his football operations, the team parted ways with General Manager George Kokinis.

Kokinis was seen leaving the Browns' facility around noon on Monday carrying two travel bags. He was shown out by Lew Merletti, senior vice president, and Mike Nikolaus, human resource director.

The Browns made no mention of Kokinis' departure at coach Eric Mangini's regularly scheduled Monday press conference at 3 p.m. Neither Lerner nor his spokesman responded to multiple calls and emails for comment.

The club said in a statement released shortly after 10:30 p.m. that Kokinis "is no longer actively involved with the organization."

"In response to rumors and reports that Kokinis was escorted out of the building today, the Browns deny those reports. In the interest of protecting the parties involved, we will withhold further comment."

Kokinis was handpicked by Mangini to be his GM and reportedly raised his name in his first interview with Lerner on Dec. 30. But Kokinis was not named general manager until 15 days after Mangini was hired.

Kokinis had 18 years' NFL experience, including 13 with the Ravens. He and Mangini were entry-level staffers in Cleveland together under former coach Bill Belichick in the early 1990s. But the honeymoon of their reunion did not last long.

According to league sources, both men became disenchanted with the other early on. In training camp, Mangini and Kokinis were seldom seen talking on the field. Rumors intensified over the past month that Kokinis could be fired.

The timing of Kokinis' departure coincides with a crackdown by Lerner to repair a football organization -- ostensibly headed by Mangini -- careening toward one of the worst seasons in Browns' history.

The Browns' 1-7 record matches the mid-point mark of the 1999 expansion team that finished 2-14.

Two weeks ago, Lerner added former quarterback Bernie Kosar as a team consultant. Last week, the team dismissed Erin O'Brien, Mangini's former personal assistant with the New York Jets who was team operations director with the Browns.

Kosar spent parts of Monday stumping for Issue 3, the casino issue on Tuesday's election ballot spearheaded by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. Kosar also spent considerable time huddling with Lerner in the Browns facility.

In an appearance on WKNR AM/850 Monday morning, Kosar made no mention of Kokinis' departure, but he criticized the team's talent level.

"I really think that, in terms of turning it around in the next year or so, we've got to be right in the draft," Kosar said. "What are we doing to get ready for the draft and free agency?

"Until you bring in some difference-making players, I don't know how you get out of this. That's the one consistent thing in the NFL. The teams that do good have guys that make plays. We don't have enough of them."

Kosar's future role in the organization has not been defined by Lerner.

Kokinis' actual input in the makeup of the team was never clearly identified, as he seldom granted interviews and deferred to Mangini as the spokesman for the club. In fact, Kokinis was not even quoted in a club statement announcing the blockbuster trade of wide receiver Braylon Edwards on Oct. 7.

Mangini, in effect, served as his own personnel director, as evidenced by the addition of 10 former Jets to the Browns' roster. Mangini dominated personnel decisions even though Kokinis had it in his contract that he was the club's top authority on football matters. The Browns needed to assure that in writing for Kokinis to be released from his job as pro personnel director of the Baltimore Ravens.

The downward spiral of this season coupled with the changes being enacted by Lerner have raised questions about Mangini's own job security.

In Chicago, Lerner said he did not plan to change coaches during the team's current bye week. On Monday, Mangini said he spoke with Lerner by phone, as routine, and did not receive anything less than the support he always had from the owner.

"I've never gotten a feeling otherwise in all of my conversations with Randy," Mangini said. "Randy and I share the same vision. We do talk quite a bit about what's the best way to achieve that."

Mangini said he is on board with Lerner's expressed desire to add "a strong, credible, serious leader within the building to guide decisions in a far more conspicuous, open transparent way."

Mangini said, "The objective is the same for both of us [to improve]. If you can add quality people that can help you get better, then you do that."

Mangini said he and Lerner talk at length how "it's a process" and that Lerner understands it will take time to build the program.