CLEVELAND — Baltimore pro personnel director George Kokinis has been hired as Cleveland's general manager, reuniting him with new Browns coach and close friend Eric Mangini.

Kokinis, who began his NFL career as an intern in the Browns' operations department in 1991, was hand-picked by Mangini, who recommended him during an interview to Browns owner Randy Lerner. Mangini took over as Cleveland's coach on Jan. 7, just one week after he was fired following three seasons with the New York Jets.

Determined to match a coach and GM who can work well together after the Romeo Crennel-Phil Savage relationship failed, Lerner is teaming up a pair of friends who shared an apartment when they first broke into the league and have remained tight.