With Cleveland Browns camp at hand, Mike Holmgren says he's comfortable with letting coaches run the show

Browns President Mike Holmgren won't butt in on Eric Mangini's offense, but he doesn't exactly climb out on a long limb when predicting it will be better in 2010. (It can't be much worse.)

Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer"I remember consciously thinking that if this is what my job is going to be and I'm not going to coach the team, what kind of president am I going to be for my coach? And I'm trying to be that person," said Browns president Mike Holmgren of his relationship with head coach Eric Mangini. "Will it be difficult for me? We'll see. I suspect I'll get a little bit antsy about some stuff."

BEREA, Ohio -- When Mike Holmgren jumped aboard as Browns president, everyone expected him to bring along his version of the West Coast offense. But that's not what coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll will be running in 2010.

"Scheme-wise, this is a different scheme. This is not my scheme. This is their scheme," Holmgren said Wednesday.

Curing the Browns' offensive woes has got to be at the top of Mangini's list of priorities when his second training camp begins Saturday at the team's headquarters in Berea.

In 2009 under the first-year direction of Mangini and Daboll, a rookie coordinator, the Browns finished 32nd among NFL teams in four categories and 29th in scoring.

The most incredible statistic about last year is that in their five wins, Browns quarterbacks completed 33 passes -- that's the five-game total, remember -- in 82 attempts for 386 yards. They had one touchdown, four interceptions and a passer rating of 38.97.

This bears repeating: That was in the team's five wins.

"I've made the statement, I don't know how you can win a game throwing eight times," Holmgren said. "But they did it. I couldn't do it."

Holmgren said that a thorough review of the team's offensive failings was part of his intensive meetings with Mangini before deciding to bring back the coach and his staff.

Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer"I'm comfortable with our involvement [in the offense], which is minimal, I will say," said Mike Holmgren. "But (coaches) come into my office all the time. We have healthy conversations. I believe it's a very, very healthy situation and communication."

So, was the man who made his reputation coaching offensive football satisfied with what he heard?

"No," Holmgren answered. "But every coach thinks he has the answer."

Nevertheless, Holmgren did not insist on Mangini incorporating a new offensive approach as a condition for returning as coach.

"Let's say if I was the coach and Eric was the president," Holmgren explained. "I lived through that a little bit [in Seattle]. I was not the best one to come in and have someone tell me what to do.

"I remember consciously thinking that if this is what my job is going to be and I'm not going to coach the team, what kind of president am I going to be for my coach? And I'm trying to be that person. If I thought I couldn't do that or I thought he couldn't do that, then I probably should have made a different decision. Will it be difficult for me? We'll see. I suspect I'll get a little bit antsy about some stuff."

Holmgren brought in Gil Haskell, his long-time sounding board and former offensive coordinator, to observe and offer suggestions to Daboll. Haskell attends all meetings and practices. He'll be the white-haired gentleman standing behind the offensive unit when the team takes the field on Saturday.

"I'm comfortable with our involvement [in the offense], which is minimal, I will say," Holmgren said. "But the guys come into my office all the time. We have healthy conversations. I believe it's a very, very healthy situation and communication."

Mangini and Daboll have downplayed whatever changes they have in store for the offense in 2010. Holmgren knows what's in store, but won't say. He does predict the offense will be better.

"I think our quarterback play should be more consistent. So just start there," he said. "If you do nothing else and you have more consistent play at quarterback, you should be better.

"There's more than one way to move the football and there's more than one philosophy. It's how you teach it, the type of players you have, those things. I expect us to move the ball better, to pass the ball better --for the reasons I've stated. We have more experience at wide receiver, with guys in their second year. We'll have more consistent play at quarterback. I think we have a solid running game. And the tight end [Benjamin] Watson is a nice addition."

Brownie bits: Holmgren said that nose tackle Shaun Rogers, defensive end C.J. Mosley and cornerback Coye Francies will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list until they pass their physicals. ... The Browns are hoping to have some clarification from the NFL on possible disciplinary action against Rogers and defensive end Robaire Smith -- for separate gun-related incidents at airports -- when Commissioner Roger Goodell visits camp next Thursday. ... Holmgren is hopeful that No. 1 pick Joe Haden could be signed in time to have the cornerback on the field for the first practice on Saturday.