DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Grossi: Sources Say No Saban, Banner/Lombardi/McDaniels Possible

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By Tony Grossi

The Morning Kickoff …

The lowdown: These are the latest rumblings I’ve heard from NFL – and college – sources concerning the inevitable shake-up in Browns football operations being considered by CEO Joe Banner.

For the record, owner Jimmy Haslam and Banner recently have declined all meaningful interviews regarding the future configuration of their organization. They have pledged to not make any decisions until after the season.

But it is commonly believed that GM Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur will not be back. Heckert, my sources say, knew it the day Banner reported to work in October as Haslam’s CEO. Shurmur surely knows it now, after that coaching debacle against Washington on Sunday.

The Lombardi Factor: Banner has diagramed an organization chart that calls for football operations to report to him. That means Heckert’s position will be replaced by a glorified player personnel director who will work closely with Banner. He may win some battles but ultimately he will have no real authority to establish a vision, pick players or make trades. Banner will set the agenda.

So who would accept these restrictions? Someone who has been out of the league for five years – Mike Lombardi.

The smooth-talking NFL Network analyst has fostered a relationship with Banner since working for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997-98. Lombardi, who was Bill Belichick’s first lieutenant in Cleveland after GM Ernie Accorsi left in 1992, was not invited by Art Modell to join the Ravens organization in Baltimore.

Former Eagles coach Ray Rhodes rescued Lombardi with a job in 1997. This was a dream opportunity for Lombardi, who was from the Philadelphia area, but it was lost when the Eagles named Tom Modrak director of football operations. There is a story that on Modrak’s first day on the job, he marched into Lombardi’s office still wearing his overcoat and told Lombardi to pack his belongings. That was the third of Lombardi’s four firings from NFL clubs.

Nevertheless, Lombardi maintained a relationship with Banner, who has risen to positions of enormous power with the Eagles and now the Browns.

According to one source in the loop, the only other name associated in NFL circles with the soon-to-be-vacant position with the Browns is Tom Gamble. Gamble is director of player personnel with the San Francisco 49ers and is considered a viable candidate for several general manager positions expected to open in the NFL.

But because the position Banner has created is on a same plane with the job Gamble currently holds in San Francisco, Gamble would not give the Browns’ job a second thought.

Banner effectively has created a position that only Lombardi would accept.

The coaching candidates: Over the years, Lombardi has forged relationships in the agent business. One that Lombardi has maintained is with Jimmy Sexton. Sexton happens to be Alabama coach Nick Saban’s agent. This relationship partially explains the Saban-to-Cleveland rumors.

Independently, Saban, who has built a national powerhouse at Alabama, is believed to be Haslam’s first choice to coach the Browns. Lombardi is well aware of that, of course. According to a source, Lombardi has gained traction with Haslam by attaching himself to Saban’s coattails.

I have now have had three credible sources – two in the NFL and one in the college ranks – swear to me that Saban has no attraction whatsoever to Lombardi. One insisted Saban wouldn’t work with Lombardi “in a thousand years.” Another on Monday said there is “zero chance” Saban would leave Alabama to work alongside Lombardi in Cleveland.

There is one rumor that Haslam is prepared to offer Saban a $100 million deal over 10 years to coach the Browns.

Two sources who know Saban have told me that Saban is leaning toward staying at Alabama and if he ever sought to scratch that NFL itch again, it would not be in Cleveland. Once Saban left Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., said one source, he has never traveled north of Tennessee.

Sexton and Lombardi could be scratching each other’s backs on the Saban rumors, said one source. The theory is that Lombardi gains stature with the Browns by forwarding this tall tale, and Saban inevitably will gain a new deal with Alabama.
The Crimson Tide could and would re-up whatever it takes to keep him, said a source.

If not Saban, then who?: In his many media platforms, Lombardi frequently talks up Oregon’s Chip Kelly as a quality NFL coaching candidate. In fact, Lombardi formed a relationship with Kelly several years ago. Lombardi may have introduced Kelly to Belichick, who has incorporated some of Kelly’s fast-paced offensive concepts into the Patriots’ scheme.

Kelly, however, would not be a candidate in Cleveland, said a source, because he has the ego and stature at this time to demand total control of football operatios. And that is something only Saban could wrestle from Banner in Cleveland.

Kelly will get full control somewhere in the NFL. One source predicts it will be Kelly’s demise as an NFL coach, given his total unfamiliarity of the league.

So what does that leave the Browns as head coach? Lombardi’s third choice is Canton-native Josh McDaniels, who failed as Denver Broncos coach but has risen form the ashes in his second stint as Tom Brady’s personal coach with the Patriots.

McDaniels, 36, was 11-17 as Denver Broncos coach in 2009-10 after a 6-0 start. His hiring would likely enable the Browns to retain Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator and much of the current defensive staff.

There are other possibilities of how the Browns’ new direction will unfold, but a Banner-Lombardi-McDaniels triumvirate is currently seen as the most realistic.

One source remarked of the Cleveland situation, “From a distance, I’m fascinated with how it turns out.”

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For a supposedly awesome business man, Haslam is in over his head and has been snowballed by a weasel just so he can own an NFL team.

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The Lombardi Factor: Banner has diagramed an organization chart that calls for football operations to report to him. That means Heckert’s position will be replaced by a glorified player personnel director who will work closely with Banner. He may win some battles but ultimately he will have no real authority to establish a vision, pick players or make trades. Banner will set the agenda.

So who would accept these restrictions? Someone who has been out of the league for five years – Mike Lombardi.

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I hope a certain Frog is happy now....it's at least been reported now what I saw happening the day I heard Banner open his mouth...not that this could have been seen coming months ago

Banner = new Mangini "the I'm so smart GM version"

McDaniels = Mangini "the I'm so smart HC version"

Lombardi = new Kokinis

Haslam = new dumb owner getting fooled by double tongues

Lombardi drafted hacks his entire career

Banner has no clue about football "but watches some clips of possible late rounders that scouts like between draft-day nights" lol (he actually said that, I'm not making this up)

McDaniels drafted Tebow in round 1 and spent a 2nd and 1st on CB Alphonso Smith, both are no longer Broncos

Haslam is a fan who thinks he knows football

How does it sound having those 4 men in your war room at draft day making the calls?

On top, probable switch to the 3-4, new Offense scheme and here we go again Cleveland, have fun with the next 5 year plan

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I have now have had three credible sources – two in the NFL and one in the college ranks – swear to me that Saban has no attraction whatsoever to Lombardi. One insisted Saban wouldn’t work with Lombardi “in a thousand years.”

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Funny how all of a sudden with this piece Grossi isn't the bumbling fool that everyone constantly says he is.

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all it is saying is how Lombardi wants things. i'm confused as why you automatically assume that it's how Banner/Haslam would agree to it.

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experienced football minds

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And make no mistake...this ALL starts with Haslam. He's the head honcho.

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There are other possibilities of how the Browns’ new direction will unfold, but a Banner-Lombardi-McDaniels triumvirate is currently seen as the most realistic.

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I've got no qualms with Banner, but bringing Lombardi and McDaniels here is enough to make me want to cut my heart out.

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This smells like the NFL pulling some type of favor for Banner and getting Haslam to go along with it.

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Why in the Hell would the NFL owe Banner anything?

Now you're just looking for reasons.

Haslam wanted a businessman to help run his organization. How is that an unrealistic expectation for a guy who hasn't owned a professional sports franchise?

Here's a note from Philly.com:

web page

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[banner] But in his role as the team’s salary cap wizard and chief contract negotiator, Banner had a great deal of influence over many of those personnel decisions.

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I think Banner had more say in personnel than people know. Does that mean he's totally qualified to do it here? We just don't know, but what I do believe is that he was far more than just a pencil-pusher in Philly.

That doesn't mean I'm good with Dumbardi and the dope that drafted Tim freakin' Tebow in the 1st round.

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There are other possibilities of how the Browns’ new direction will unfold, but a Banner-Lombardi-McDaniels triumvirate is currently seen as the most realistic.

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I've got no qualms with Banner, but bringing Lombardi and McDaniels here is enough to make me want to cut my heart out...

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but a Banner-Lombardi-McDaniels triumvirate is currently seen as the most realistic

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Have Lombardi and Banner worked together before? Where is this connection?

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From the article above:

The smooth-talking NFL Network analyst has fostered a relationship with Banner since working for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997-98. Lombardi, who was Bill Belichick’s first lieutenant in Cleveland after GM Ernie Accorsi left in 1992, was not invited by Art Modell to join the Ravens organization in Baltimore.

Former Eagles coach Ray Rhodes rescued Lombardi with a job in 1997. This was a dream opportunity for Lombardi, who was from the Philadelphia area, but it was lost when the Eagles named Tom Modrak director of football operations. There is a story that on Modrak’s first day on the job, he marched into Lombardi’s office still wearing his overcoat and told Lombardi to pack his belongings. That was the third of Lombardi’s four firings from NFL clubs.

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And make no mistake...this ALL starts with Haslam. He's the head honcho.

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No doubt! I keep trying to remind myself not to get upset since nothing has actually happened yet, but it sure seems like signs are pointing to a very inept front office here.

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