A source told The Plain Cleveland Dealer "Kokinis is a great guy who does not deserve this. He is taking the fall for the team's problems and it's not right.''

The Plain Dealer reported that Lerner had tried to get Kokinis to take a more visible role as the team's GM, encouraging him to be interviewed recently by Sports Illustrated.

Kokinis, who had 18 years' worth of NFL experience, was the final voice on the Browns' 53-man roster.

Mangini's job security was not a topic in Cleveland's locker room, which was mostly vacant Monday.

Linebacker David Bowens, who played for Mangini in New York, feels the coach's system may not take hold until the team starts winning.

"Part of the problem is we have a lot of guys on this team that have been used to losing, been used to being on teams that haven't won a lot of games and don't understand the process," Bowens said. "I think just selling out and buying in. I firmly believe in just hard work Cleveland and execution. The coaches can coach their tails off, they can get two hours sleep a week, but they're not playing the game.

"A lot of mistakes are made by us as players. Once we assess that and just buy in, commit ourselves to each other, I think things will change."

Mangini believes his process for turning around the team will work despite a horrid first half of the season. Mangini said he and Lerner share the same vision for improving the Browns.

Mangini and his coaching staff will spend the next week -- the Browns don't play again until Cleveland Nov. 16 -- evaluating and analyzing every aspect of the team. Despite Cleveland's offense being ranked 31st overall and scoring just five touchdowns, Mangini has no plans to change offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's duties.

However, he may rely more on quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, a former offensive coordinator with New Orleans and Jacksonville.

Mangini's Cleveland also holding off on making a decision at quarterback. Derek Anderson posted a 10.5 rating in Sunday's debacle before he was yanked in the final minutes for Brady Quinn, who began the season as Cleveland's starter but was benched after just 10 quarters.