Scott Pioli drawing nearer to Cleveland January 3
Boston Herald
"While nothing official came down yesterday, it appears Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli and the Cleveland Browns are still working toward making a potential marriage work.
The most telling sign the sides were continuing to iron out differences and forge a union was the postponement of the Browns’ meeting with Atlanta president Rich McKay, another candidate to run Cleveland’s football operations.
McKay had a date with Browns owner Randy Lerner yesterday, but that interview never took place and was pushed back.
While McKay’s Falcons are involved in a wild card playoff game tomorrow against Arizona and the Browns didn’t want to interfere with that process, it can also be construed that the negotiations between Pioli and the club were heating up, and needed more time.
At this point, it could go either way, although the delay of the McKay meeting seems to indicate the sides are closing in.
One possible sticking point, and/or deal breaker, may be the presence of Eric Mangini. Lerner seems enamored with Bill Belichick’s former protege, who was canned by the New York Jets on Monday. It appears the Browns boss would love Mangini to be part of the mix as head coach. Lerner fired Romeo Crennel, another Belichick disciple, on Monday after four seasons at the helm.
Mangini became an outcast within the Patriots organization upon his departure to the Jets in 2006. There was a rift with Belichick and, apparently, a deteriorating relationship with Pioli. The Camera-gate scandal, of course, did not improve Mangini’s standing in Foxboro.
According to league sources, Pioli’s first choice for coach would be Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. Perhaps the selection of a coach is part of what’s keeping Pioli from finally breaking away from the Pats. Pioli is seeking a situation where he has total control of the operation, much like the situation Bill Parcells has in Miami.
Following Iowa’s 31-10 victory over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl yesterday, Ferentz talked about the rumors of him becoming an NFL head coach with the team that hired Pioli. He didn’t exactly dismiss it outright.
“Scott’s a great friend of mine, and I think it’s a mutual thing,” said Ferentz, who is now free to interview with teams. “I think it’s presumptuous to think anybody knows what he’s doing right now, and he and I haven’t talked in three weeks. We’ve both been doing our jobs. I’ve got a great job at Iowa, I’ve said that many, many times. The people are fantastic, and I just feel very, very fortunate.”
Pioli has also been granted permission to interview with the Chiefs for their vacant GM post. Prior to the process starting, it was believed he wanted to hear out both the Browns and Chiefs.
In the case of the latter, it still doesn’t appear the type of fit neither Pioli, nor the Chiefs would be looking for. Kansas City historically hasn’t paid the kind of money it would take to land Pioli, and chairman Clark Hunt has already decided the duties of former general manager Carl Peterson would be divided, rather than give full control to his replacement.
So it’s looking more and more like Cleveland, or staying put with the Patriots, for Pioli.
Meanwhile, another Pats employee appears a fairly hot commodity. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels turned up on Denver’s list to replace recently fired Mike Shanahan, according to a league source.
The Broncos have asked permission to speak with McDaniels, but have yet to get the official go-ahead, although it’s expected.
Both the Browns and Detroit Lions have also sought interviews with McDaniels, who just completed his third season as the Pats’ offensive coordinator."
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