Jim Brown is going to bat for Hue Jackson ... telling TMZ Sports the bitterness toward Cleveland's ex-head coach needs to end.
Of course, Hue took only a few days to join up with the Browns' rivals -- the Bengals -- after he got canned in Cleveland ... and dudes like Baker Mayfield were REALLY upset about it.
But, Jim tells us the QB and others shouldn't be ... saying Hue made "a good move."
"No bitterness with him. He's got a job right away. It tells you that he had a value. But, it didn't work out with him and the Browns. That's it."
As for Baker's snub of the coach after Cleveland beat Cincinnati on Sunday ... Jim sees no controversy there, saying Mayfield just got caught up in the moment of competition.
Baker Mayfield tried so hard to avoid Hue Jackson pic.twitter.com/6dHCG3Fl4y
"When you're getting ready for a game, you're getting ready for a game. You're not trying to make friends."
As for the Browns themselves ... Jim can see a playoff game in their future this season -- IF they do just one unlikely thing.
The Browns are 4-6-1 and sitting at the bottom of the AFC North -- but they're definitely NOT mathematically eliminated ... only 3 games out of 1st place.
They've got 5 games left -- facing the Texans, Panthers, Bengals, Broncos and Ravens.
Could they win out and clinch a post-season berth? Hey, stranger things have happened ...