Projo Pats Blog

JOB OFFER? With Eric Mangini now the man in charge of the Browns, you would think that Scott Pioli is no longer considering Cleveland as his future home. Browns team sources told the Cleveland Plain Dealer last night that Pioli did not, as had been reported by Chris Mortensen on ESPN, make "outrageous demands" of the team in contract negotiations. In fact, the sources told the newspaper that the conversations between Pioli and team owner Randy Lerner were more "exploratory" than actual negotiating.

Meanwhile, according to Kansas City radio station 610 AM, top Chiefs officials (including chairman Clark Hunt) flew East after meeting with Pioli earlier this week in Dallas, possibly to extend the Patriots' vice president of player personnel an offer. But money and control of football operations are apparently still sticking points.

MANGINI'S FIRST HIRE: Before he was announced this morning as the new head coach of the Browns, Mangini hired Oakland defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to take the same job in Cleveland (NFL.com). So I guess Romeo Crennel's suggestion about returning to Cleveland as a defensive coach will not be acted upon.

OLD-TIME COACHES LIKE THE YOUNG GUY: Longtime Denver Broncos head coach Dan Reeves, now a football analyst on Sirius satellite radio, believes that 32-year-old Josh McDaniels is an attractive choice to be just the third head coach to lead the Broncos since Reeves' departure after the 1992 season. "I think he's attractive to Denver because he's been with a good organization for starters, and because of the job he did this year in particular," Reeves told The Boston Herald's Karen Guregian, referring to the Patriots' success this season despite losing Tom Brady in the first game. Guregian also quotes Mike Ditka saying that McDaniels has learned from the best, in Bill Belichick, and that he basically has the management qualifications needed to do the job of head coach.

McDaniels has interviewed for the Cleveland job (now off the market) as well as the Denver job, and he reportedly as another scheduled tomorrow with the St. Louis Rams.

LESS COMPETITION: The Denver Post reports that the Broncos will be done interviewing candidates to replace Mike Shanahan after they finish with Miami's Todd Bowles today, and confirms that Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is not under consideration.

NEW ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PACMAN: ESPN is reporting that the Dallas Cowboys made the decision to cut ties with Adam "Pacman" Jones after they learned of allegations by three Atlanta men that Jones ordered someone to shoot at them outside a strip club in 2007, while Jones was under suspension for various off-the-field problems. Jones isn't taking the ESPN report lightly: He told the Dallas Morning News that he intends to sue the network over the report, which he would not otherwise comment on.

I agree with Morning News columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor's contention that signing Jones was never worth the trouble. In the end, Pacman's unproductive tenure with the Cowboys is one more blemish on the Jerry Jones era in Dallas, one that started out with great success before degenerating into a nonstop circus with tons of controversy but no results.

FAVRE SPEAKS: Speaking to his hometown newspaper, the Biloxi Sun Herald, Brett Favre brushed off the critical comments made about him by running back Thomas Jones and another, unnamed Jet, and said that he just wished he had played better down the stretch. Favre also said that he "feels the same way as last year" about a potential return to football in 2009, and promises to take his time in coming to a decision. Surprise, surprise.

NO L.T.: LaDainian Tomlinson has confirmed that he has a torn tendon in his groin, and the San Diego Union-Tribune tells you this morning what no one with the Chargers will say: There's no way Tomlinson takes the field against the Steelers on Sunday.

READY TO RUMBLE: The Giants' Brandon Jacobs, however, will be playing on Sunday against the Eagles, and he is extremely fired up about it (New York Post).

SURGERY FOR CHAMP: Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, who missed much of the season after being injured in October against the Patriots, needs surgery to repair torn ligaments in his elbow, an injury he suffered in the last game of the season (Rocky Mountain News).

 Tags  Eric Mangini Football Today Scott Pioli

---