AP

The Browns cut their list of candidates for their head coaching vacancy down to two in the last couple of days and they have reportedly settled on their choice.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that they will promote offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to the top job. Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski met with the team a second time on Tuesday and was considered the other finalist for the job as the permanent replacement for Hue Jackson.

Jackson was fired eight games into the 2018 season along with offensive coordinator Todd Haley and those moves bumped Kitchens up to the coordinator spot. Rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield thrived once Kitchens took the reins and the Browns finished with their best record since 2007 after going 5-3 in the second half of the season.

The hope in Cleveland will be that sticking with Kitchens enables the team to build on that close to the year and find their way back to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.