As long as he doesn’t fire Mangini, I’m good.

Yep, on board.

Couldn’t hurt could it?

Who does?

Where does it say that he doesn’t like Mangini?

He had issues as a GM in Seattle and had to step down.

True, however I would assert this had something to do with him also being the head coach and the resultant overloading of responsibility. He is the best available for this particular position IMO, and you can’t fault the Browns for getting the best available. (I would love the former Titans GM too—but well, let’s just worry about Holmgren first).

 I think if he does decide to come, Mangini will stay…especially since the GM position will remain open as yet. I think his main focus will be bringing in a GM he trusts and respects, and eventually that GM will be the major impetus for whether Mangini stays or goes…that decision most likely will take place next offseason at the earliest…depending, obviously, on performance.

Anyways, I’m thrilled to hear this is a possibility. I’m not getting my hopes up too much, but good news nonetheless.

We’ll see. As johnny says below, his problem was that he was both GM and coach for those few years in Seattle. Also, Seattle fans seem to credit the success they had from 2003-07 to Holmgren’s drafts and trades while GM. That’s how they got guys like Hutchinson, Hasselbeck, Engram, etc.

I hope to explore these drafts and moves more. But that will be a separate article.

I disagree. Money is not an issue with Holmgren, he has bank. Holmgren wants another shot at the Bowl. If anything the money is secondary, he wants to put a stamp down and turn this poorly run franchise around.
 This is about his face. His mark in the NFL.

I completely agree with you on this. I don’t see how Holmgren is even remotely qualified for the job. The Browns have been a training ground in the past and it hasn’t worked out. Please Randy, quit grasping at straws, get someone who has been successful as a GM and then let them get to work.

A strong personality above Mangini would make me really look forward to next year.

Agree. I think Mangini’s strengths can be maximized and his weaknesses minimized with a supportive, yet firm, front office.

I still think Daboll needs to go though, regardless.

I’ve added some resume info a novel on Holmgren to the story above.

Good stuff. It’d be hard to look at the resume and not be excited. The man certainly knows QBs. Hasselbeck was a no one that he plucked away from Green Bay and turned into a Super Bowl/Pro Bowl QB.

Nicely done.

Do you have any more information on the Favre/Detmer choice?

can Mangini handle not being in total control? This isn’t clear. Reports are that he is tough to work for on the front office side of things. This explains at least part of the Kokinis situation. Will he accept being forced to change his offensive coordinator? What about the draft?

He better get used to it pretty damn quick.

He doesn’t exactly have a whole lot of leverage

I agree the Czar needs to have final say on all football related decisions.

This is an interesting thing from the “coaching tree” side of things. It is a grafting of a Belichick branch (which is of Parcells origin) into the Holmgren tree. What kind of fruit will we get? A prickly apple? A strangely colored olive that tastes like an avacado?
I think Ryan makes the key point… it doesn’t really matter if they can work together IF one supports the idea of having a football czar in the first place. Either they will work together (with or without a GM) or they won’t. If they don’t, Mangini is gone and that is how it should be with a czar. And as far as czars go, I’d have a hard time coming up with someone with as good of credentials or evident football expertise as Holmgren.

I thought the “czar” was to hire coaches and GMs and give input on the draft and player acquisition/contracts, not to have a direct impact on the product on the field?

In any event, Mangini is a defensive guy. I don’t see him having a problem working with a WCO coordinator per se. I think Mangini wants to be able to be flexible on offense, and any coordinator will need to have some ancillaries in the NFL today.

Similarly, I don’t see Holmgren having a problem with running the 3-4 per se, as long as he can find guys that will fit that system and work with the coaches to know what they want. Mangini and Ryan want to be “multiple” anyway, getting versatile guys who can line up with their hand on the ground, drop into coverage, or play alongside 4 other LBs and 6 DBs.

I think the real point where Mangini and Holmgren would have to mesh would be in terms of their core principles. Like on Thursday when Millen was talking about how our current coaches want guys with good SAT scores (Smart, Athletic, Tough). Mangini has talked about wanting guys to whom the game of football is important, etc. That I think is really what will be the key to any sort of coexistence, and the football stuff can flow out of that.

I think the losing and the criticisms have probably made Mangini a little more flexible with what he’ll accept,

Yep.

I think the real turning point was when Kokinis left. I think Mangini really thought he had Lerner in his back pocket enough to possibly take over GM himself. Essentially, in a subtle way, Lerner made it clear to the media that this was not going to happen, and that really Mangini was to have little if any input in the decision making process. Ever since then I’ve noticed Manginis reigned in the ‘dictator’ act a bit.

Try the reply button.

I hope Mangini would realize his (lack of) credibility. But don’t underestimate a guy like Mangini’s (or Holmgren’s for that matter) ego.

Thanks! I was trying to get this out soon, and didn’t have a chance to edit much of it.

1. Don’t know why I had it as Brosco in my head.
2. He did coach Young though. At an extreme low point in Young’s career. It is almost certain that Young became a better quarterback in those seasons, as a backup. Holmgren was also the offensive coordinator for Young’s first season.
3. You are correct, Seifert was a defensive guy. I just read that it was when Walsh left that Holmgren was promoted by Seifert to OC. I assumed it was to replace himself. Does anyone know who Walsh’s offensive coordinator was? Did he just do it himself?

Also, he probably deserves some credit/blame for the drafts in Green Bay and the years after he was stripped of the GM title in Seattle.

I think they are pretty much the same with the “czar” being the face of the franchise, like Parcells in Miami.

Funny, they have updated this story a few times and now the line about a Browns security person being the one that drove them off the Browns campus doesn’t even appear in the article.

Agree.

Mangini being jettisoned in one season is questionable. But that question is answered with a credible, knowledgeable and strong football mind in total control of the organization.

If Lerner fires Mangini- and replaces him with another coach- I have a problem.

If Lerner hires Holmgren, who decides to fire Mangini- I have no problem at all.

He would get to pick his own coach and GM. That is the whole point.

His Goo Goo G’Joobness.

I like Grand Poobah of Footballocity and he has to wear this hat:

I like Moustache of Managment.

at first glance, I thought that said “Hank Poteat of Player Personnel”

Gruden just signed a long term deal with ESPN. He isn’t going anywhere.

Also, he needs to get an adult haircut. Dennis the Menace just doesn’t do it.

Agreed. Gruden is the most attractive and probably most available of the coaches with direct ties to Holmgren.

That ESPN deal only makes him a touch more expensive. Nothing to worry about with Lerner writing the checks.

The looser the better!

Jon Gruden has won games in the NFL with Brad Johnson, Jake Plummer, Chris Simms, Brian Greise, and Jeff Garcia. He turned Rich Gannon into a NFL MVP.

Gruden may be a lot of things, but a bad coach isn’t one of them.

He is reporting that Mangini’s job would be in “considerable jeopardy” if Holmgren was hired. Pretty much what we have been discussing all day.

Mort is borderline worthless.

Holgrem might give Mangini one more year to see how things turn up. Mangini did get all the draft picks for next year.

I think the Browns are playing more confident, especially after the win, and can escape with a win. For the first time this season i think we have more talented player then the oponent.

the key word you used was “ugly.” i don’t think losing would put things back off the rails if they play hard and are competitive; if we lay an egg and lose ugly, that will be extremely discouraging.

I think a lot depends on how the team looks the last 3 weeks. We have 2 weaker opponents ahead and if we can win both those games, I’d be pretty upset if Mangini were cut loose at this point.

CMON GUYS…FINISH THE DEAL….!!!

WE shall have MUCH rejoicing!

No kidding. I kind of hope we don’t land Holmgren.

Maybe the best thing would be for Randy to leave well enough alone for now. Let Mangini run the show for another year and then make a decision.