Spagnola - NY Giants D coordinator - ESPN

They've also asked to speak with the secondary coach for Washington, Jerry Gray.

They're also interviewing Eagles GM Tom Heckert (a Michigan native) to be the VP of Player Personnel.

It's worth noting that Heckert really doesn't have much to do with the 'hands on' work in Philly since Andy Reid is in charge of personnel.

I think they should at least talk to Mangini.

He's a winner, if nothing else.

I think they should at least talk to Mangini.

He's a winner, if nothing else.


I'd like Mangini too. Somebody with head coaching experience should be a requirement.

Mike Mularkey could be an interesting name.

Gregg Williams, Mike Tice, Jim Fassel...

Per RotoWorld...


The Lions have received permission to interview Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett for their head-coaching vacancy.

He was thought to be the next coach of the Cowboys once Wade got canned, but after this past season, that might not be the case.

I think he's the highest paid off coordinator, btw.


Also...


The Lions have requested permission to interview Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier regarding their head-coaching vacancy.


The Lions have requested permission to interview Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz regarding their vacant head-coaching position.



In addition to Eagles GM Tom Heckert, the Lions are expected to speak with Chargers Director of Player Personnel Jimmy Raye Jr. regarding their vacant VP of Personnel position.

Mayhew is working awfully fast. I guess that's good...?

I'd like Mangini too. Somebody with head coaching experience should be a requirement.

Mike Mularkey could be an interesting name.

Gregg Williams, Mike Tice, Jim Fassel...

I've been wondering where that guy's been.

Still in Miami?

I've been wondering where that guy's been.

Still in Miami?


I think he's on Jack Del Rio's staff in Jacksonville, but I'm not positive.

Yeah, my bad, he's with Jacksonville. For some reason I was thinking he was in Miami.

I read somewhere that after just a couple weeks on the job Mayhew had already done more traveling to scout than Millen had ever done in his however many years.

As for the head coaching spot, I'd like Spagnuolo or Frazier.

I would also like to see us get Raye in as the VP of pp.

If the Lions do, in fact, decide to go with another first time coach, they best gobble up one or two of these head coaches that are being fired as assistants.

Think Crennel, Mike Nolan, etc.

I think they've had enough OTJ training from the head coaching position.


I agree.

What do you guys think about Billick as a potential Lions coach?

The Lions need a coach who commands respect, not demands it.

It seems to me and my limited knowledge of football, that Garett and Spagnuolo or whatever their names are, are about as far apart in strengths as they can be. Offensive minded coach, defense minded coach. What type of coach are they looking for?

Or am I way off on that?

Yeah, Ballick is a tool.

I still think you look for a leader first, type of coach second.

Garrett has agreed to interview with the Lions.

If they offer it to him, he'll take it, he's got to get out of Dallas now.

At least he's a smart guy (Princeton, IIRC).

Jason Garrett's stock has fallen off big time.

I would like Brian Billick, however.

You can't deny his success. People can say "yeah, well he had a great defense". So what? Bill Belichick had a great offense, does that mean he'd be a poor choice for head coach here, too?

Billick won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer as his QB. That tells me the guy knows how to manage a game, despite lacking talent in key positions.

Jason Garrett's stock has fallen off big time.

Nobody is happy with him in that offense. Too many egos to feed, or a bad offense?

Suppose they do bring him in. What do they do about a DC? He better be damn good because that defense needs a lot of work.

Nobody is happy with him in that offense. Too many egos to feed, or a bad offense?

Suppose they do bring him in. What do they do about a DC? He better be damn good because that defense needs a lot of work.

Well, he had so much talent, yet they did so little. He wasn't able to get Roy Williams involved at all. And Romo had his issues. I think he was given too much credit for last year's success (which is why he was given a huge contract), so when there record dropped off this year, he was an easy scape goat.

If they did hire Garrett, who knows what they'd do at DC.

Gregg Williams was pretty highly regarded not long ago as Joe Gibbs DC in Washington, and I think he currently has a smaller role in Jacksonville right now, so he could be a possibility.

Others could include Tommy Tuberville (fmr Auburn HC), Ron Rivera (Chargers interim-DC), Ted Cottrell (fmr Chargers DC), or even that Gray from the Redskins.

Garrett has agreed to interview with the Lions.

If they offer it to him, he'll take it, he's got to get out of Dallas now.

At least he's a smart guy (Princeton, IIRC).

Smithsonian and Harpers?

Jason Garrett's stock has fallen off big time.

Which means he'll prolly be our next coach.

Which means he'll prolly be our next coach.


It certainly gives him the upper hand.

Is there an understudy of Dick Lebeau that would a be worthy DC?

John Mitchell? (assistant head coach/DL coach - for 15 years there)
Keith Butler?

I'd like to get a guy that is pretty aggressive on defense like the Steelers are. Maybe a Jim Johnson understudy too. Someone creative enough to get pressure without have dominant end rushers.

Smithsonian and Harpers?

Bingo.

Is there an understudy of Dick Lebeau that would a be worthy DC?

John Mitchell? (assistant head coach/DL coach - for 15 years there)
Keith Butler?

I'd like to get a guy that is pretty aggressive on defense like the Steelers are. Maybe a Jim Johnson understudy too. Someone creative enough to get pressure without have dominant end rushers.

LeBeau's top understuday used to be Russ Grimm, who went to Arizona with Ken Whisenhunt.

I think Grimm even interviewed for the Lions HC job before Marinelli got it, if I'm not mistaken.

You couldn't go wrong with a guy like Mitchell, IMO. Somebody like that whos been part of a great organization for over 10+ years would seem ideal for any DC job.

I think the HC will pick his own coordinators though. Especially if we got a defensive minded HC like Spagnuolo or Leslie Frazier.

Doors open for Shanahan (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_11352646)
January 2

Denver Post

"Through his agent, Mike Shanahan has heard from every NFL team with a head coaching opening. Well, not THAT team. Not the Broncos, the team he led for the past 14 years until Tuesday, when he was "terminated," as owner Pat Bowlen put it. But everybody else with a coaching vacancy is interested in speaking to Shanahan, according to two NFL sources. The Cleveland Browns. The New York Jets. The Detroit Lions. Shanahan has put them all on hold for two weeks. He wants to clear his mind and settle his emotions from the surprise of getting dismissed.

A good article breaking down 4 canidates (Spagnola, Frazier, Garret and Swartz):

http://www.freep.com/article/20081230/SPORTS18/81230023/1048

I like the idea of getting Swartz, and bringing back Flyod Reese as a personnel guy to help Meyhew.

Quick Bio on Reese:


Floyd Reese was the General Manager of the NFL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL) Tennessee Titans from 1994 - 2006. He is currently a television commentator on ESPN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN) NFL Live and a writer on ESPN.COM. Reese is known for drafting 3 NFL Rookies of the Year with only 11 first round draft choices. He has successfully drafted a Rookie of the Year in over 27% of his first round selections. The Rookies of the Year include Eddie George (1996), Jevon Kearse (1999) and Vince Young (2006). Reese is also known for drafting NFL co-MVP Steve McNair.

Floyd Reese is the winningest General Manager in the history of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise. He has amassed 111 wins.
From 1999 - 2006, Reese was 3rd in the league in draft choices that remain playing in the NFL and 7th in the NFL in draft choices remaining on the Titans' roster. Since 1997, Reese brought the Titans to one Super Bowl, two AFC Championships, 2 divisional championships, 4 playoff appearances, and a 5-4 playoff record. He also had two 13-3 seasons and four 11+ win seasons. Reese had a league-high 56 wins from 1999-2003.

I suppose it depends what kind of personnel the Lions own. I'm not an expert on the Lions, but it sounds like their running game is the most promising aspect of their O, so if you're looking for a head coach, I'm sure you wouldn't want a Mike Martz "throw the ball 50 times a game" type.

You're not looking for the best available coach. You're looking for the best fit.

If the defense is more promising than the offense, you look for a coach that can take the Lions D to the next level, and hope the O can score just enough points (a la Baltimore's title run) to win some games.

Think Miami. With a completely new think-tank, it's not impossible.

Adam Specter NFL Network says the Lions have reached out to lots of coaches with mixed results. He said its going to be a slow process cuz the candidates want to go to other teams first. <-- basically what he said.

This is because dumb fuck Sr promoted from within a shithouse organization. Who the fuck would want to come here.

Now think about if Tuna was running the show or something.

Add Ron Rivera to the interviewee list.

Anyone have any preference as to who they'd like to see the Lions get?

MD

TI

JLS

Anyone have any preference as to who they'd like to see the Lions get?

I've made my preference known.

I want Schwartz with Floyd Reese assisting Meyhew.

I could see Rivera coming here for some reason.

I could live with Jim Schwartz.

I'd like to see them get Leslie Frazier. He's got 'Mike Tomlin' written all over him.

Frazier makes me pause because his defense (which was regarded as one of the best coming into the year) gave up 21 points a game (a full TD more than the Titans). They were great against the run, but poor against the pass ("we" only gave up 17 more pass yards a game).

They have a lot better secondary than we have too.

Tom Kowalski

ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions head coaching candidate Jim Schwartz, who is in town for his second interview, addressed the media this afternoon. Schwartz looked comfortable behind the podium and in addressing the media and he got off a couple of interesting lines.

When asked about his impressions of the Lions' roster, Schwartz said: "Obviously, some holes in the roster.''

When asked about Detroit's situation at quarterback in general, Schwartz said, "It's probably time to find a replacement for Bobby Layne.''

Schwartz was careful not to commit to anything in terms of a young quarterback. He said it's a big debate about whether you play a young quarterback or sit him for awhile and he said "The answer is -- it depends.''

When he was asked about the possibility of turning the Lions around in the same quick fashion as the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons did this season, Schwartz seemed to be a realist when he said, "I think you can't look too far ahead with that."

I know the Phins turned things around quickly, but our drafting of players over the next couple of years is going to be the key, not who our next coach is, imo.

I could see a young coordinator coming in for a few years and then mgt feeling he's not getting everything out of the cough cough talent we have here and going in a different direction.

Thats what my crystal ball says anyway.

The next coach is just filling office space and holding pressers.

And so would an aging QB.

And so would an aging QB.


I AGREE WITH TAHOE.

And so would an aging QB.

Please tell me your not implying taking Stafford #1.

Nope. I'm saying if we have an aging QB in DC while we rebuild our team, why go get another aging QB that by the time we get good will be moving on anyway.

We have DC, Stanton, and The O for next year.

Nope. I'm saying if we have an aging QB in DC while we rebuild our team, why go get another aging QB that by the time we get good will be moving on anyway.

We have DC, Stanton, and The O for next year.


Orlovskys a free agent. Kowalski says he's not likely to come back.

Culpepper could be cut due to his cap figure, but I think it'd be smart to bring him back...

It's possible we can pick up Derek Anderson, who is pretty much a lock to get cut next month...

or if a QB falls that you want to take a chance on late.

Danny O would be crazy not to re-sign here.

Dan O would resign here if promised a shot at starting. Anywhere else he'd be a backup anyway, or in open competition at best.

I'd cut DC (not paying that 5 mil), bring back Kitna (or another vet) to backup Dan O/Stanton (whoever looks better in camp).

I guess it depends on the offense that is run. If it's Schwartz, I don't see why Dan O couldn't do well. Collins did fine in the Titan's offense this year and they are pretty similar players.

If it's Shanahan (he's not even a candidate right now), you need a slightly mobile QB that can throw on the run. Then Stanton has a better shot.

At any rate, it's too hard to say without a coach in place.

Dan O would resign here if promised a shot at starting. Anywhere else he'd be a backup anyway, or in open competition at best.

I'd cut DC (not paying that 5 mil), bring back Kitna (or another vet) to backup Dan O/Stanton (whoever looks better in camp).

I guess it depends on the offense that is run. If it's Schwartz, I don't see why Dan O couldn't do well. Collins did fine in the Titan's offense this year and they are pretty similar players.

If it's Shanahan (he's not even a candidate right now), you need a slightly mobile QB that can throw on the run. Then Stanton has a better shot.

At any rate, it's too hard to say without a coach in place.

How could the Lions not offer him a shot a starting? I can't imagine that they'd give it to DC before the season even starts? <--serious.

I think for The O to sign here he has to be told that at the very least he has the upper hand at starting. His to lose...

Also, thx Wil...I had to go read up on Danny O and things said about his place with the team/fa/etc.

edit...I know how...cuz they're the Lions.

Unless free agency gets here and someone randomly drops into our laps that we think would be better for whatever offense we institute, Dan O would have a serious shot at starting. A much better shot than anywhere else in the league, I'd imagine. As much as I'd like to think that giving Culpepper and offseason of getting in shape with the team and learning the playbook would make a difference in his play, I just have this gut feeling that he'd still be about even with Dan O and that it would be an open competition between the two. Its too bad his cap hit comes before camp (that's what it has sounded like, I'm not 100% on that) so we can't just let him go through camp to see where he stands.

Well, if they draft Bradford or Stafford and deem him the next Flacco/Ryan then Dan O may not feel he has a shot at all.

If they don't draft a QB he has to think he has as good as shot as any QB.

Please don't draft a QB, Mayhew!

Well, maybe in the later rounds would be fine.

I'm getting a little concerned about the Bobby Layne talk by Schwartz. I hope that was just a little humor, and not tipping his draft plans. I'd think he'd know best we need to build the trenches.

Do you think if Schwartz is hired we have an outside shot at Albert Haynesworth?

We do have cap room...

I would say outside shot, but would he want to come to an 0-16 team?

Schwartz would have to sell him that 3 of our top 4 picks will be MLB, DE, DB and with him, Redding, Sims, Dizon and those picks this defense would turn around fast.

we need that signature free agent signing that causes the rest of the league to take notice...

something like that opens up the intrigue for others to sign here...

we haven't had one of those types of signings since Dre' Bly...

Is Joey Harrington available?

We'll have to overpay someone for that to happen Wil.

We'll have to overpay someone for that to happen Wil.
It could happen. I think the Lions went from one of the biggest dead cap space teams to one of the smallest. I don't think they are paying much to guys they've cut now.

They could probably afford to overpay one guy since most of the players are young and cheap right now.

here is a list of their players that made more than a million this year:


Rk Player Salary (US$)
1 Calvin Johnson $6,262,925
2 Jon Kitna $5,000,000
3 Brian Kelly $4,502,880
4 Travis Fisher $4,254,320
5 Michael Gaines $3,805,280
6 Dominic Raiola $3,500,000
7 Cory Redding $3,150,000
8 Keary Colbert $3,111,480
9 Keith Smith $3,006,240
10 Dewayne White $3,006,240
11 Chuck Darby $2,995,000
12 Jeff Backus $2,750,000
13 Leigh Bodden $2,705,280 (option)
14 Jordon Dizon $2,281,333
15 Ernie Sims $2,180,000
16 Kalvin Pearson $2,155,240
17 Edwin Mulitalo $2,006,720
18 Dwight Smith $2,002,400
19 Dan Campbell $1,875,000
20 Mike Furrey $1,806,240
21 Gosder Cherilus $1,780,000
22 Jason Hanson $1,650,480
23 Jared DeVries $1,306,240
24 Shaun McDonald $1,252,880
25 Paris Lenon $1,200,000
26 George Foster $1,106,720
27 Rudi Johnson $1,100,000
28 Casey FitzSimmons $1,075,000
29 Alex Lewis $1,006,240

They'll let the ones in red walk IMO (free agents). Hanson will be back (FA).

SI's Reuben Frank wrote a fantastic article discussing how teams are taking advantage of an obscure clause in the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement to roll over significant amounts of current-year cap space into the following year. It's a matter of altering contracts, using impossible-to-reach performance incentives. Teams can manipulate it so their cap figure for the following year is adjusted upward or downward. Pretty heady stuff, but Frank does a great job explaining it, and the article is worth the full read.
Oh, and guess who's got the lowest adjusted cap figure in the entire league. That's right – your very own Detroit Lions.

Sports Illustrated, March 1: (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/reuben_frank/03/01/cap.figures/index.html) Teams with significant cap space late in a season can manipulate the following year's cap by writing likely-to-be-earned incentive bonuses into contracts that, in reality, have zero chance of being earned. Such incentives count against a team's cap the year they're written, but if they're not met -- and teams have ways of making sure they're not met -- the team is then credited the amount of the bonuses against the following year's cap.

Not to mention on that list...

Mulitalo, Bodden, Darby, Dwight Smith, Campbell and possibly Furrey could all be cut, which would free up even more cap-room

Also Brian Kelly who is 3rd on that list is already gone...

AND WE HAVE MARTIN FRICKIN MAYHEW TO SPEND ALL THAT DOUGH...BRILLIANT!

How long will it be before Lewand distances himself from Mayhew to save his own neck? A season and a half.

Also, good info FrigginChris

Since I have no choice, I'm willing to give Mayhew a chance to see what type of magic he can work.

Not going to lie, for having completed just one team personnel transaction in his GM career, Mayhew has done a damn fine job so far.

Since I have no choice, I'm willing to give Mayhew a chance to see what type of magic he can work.

Not going to lie, for having completed just one team personnel transaction in his GM career, Mayhew has done a damn fine job so far.

He starts his GM carrer with the Lions as a turd to me. He can change my mind, but I'm not starting with a level playing field. Sorry.

He was Millen's assistant through a history making debacle or something...I've ran out of negative adjectives.

Regarding the trade...I hate to say, but I give Millen more credit on that than Mayhew. That discussion was going on for years...Jones just pulled the trigger on it, thats all, imo. Mayhew didn't negotiate crap, imo.

But if he comes through, I'll change my mind on him.

Since I have no choice, I'm willing to give Mayhew a chance to see what type of magic he can work.

Not going to lie, for having completed just one team personnel transaction in his GM career, Mayhew has done a damn fine job so far.
Signing Culpepper.
Trading Roy for picks.

Those are the only two things he's done so far, I believe.

He starts his GM carrer with the Lions as a turd to me. He can change my mind, but I'm not starting with a level playing field. Sorry.

He was Millen's assistant through a history making debacle or something...I've ran out of negative adjectives.


Tahoe demonstrating some cogency.

I would say outside shot, but would he want to come to an 0-16 team?

Schwartz would have to sell him that 3 of our top 4 picks will be MLB, DE, DB and with him, Redding, Sims, Dizon and those picks this defense would turn around fast.

Dizon will likely have no place on this team outside of special teams and some backup situations.

I disagree. I think he gets a shot at his normal position (SLB). He should have a legit chance at that job in training camp. I don't think he'll ever be a starting MLB though.

He certainly has a better shot at SLB, but I still think he's a long shot. Hopefully I will be proven wrong...

Don Banks talking about Spagnuolo may be the odd man out in the current head coaching searches around the league:

It also might be difficult to beat out Schwartz in Detroit, even though the top-seeded Titans also struggled a bit down the season's backstretch and then went one-and-done in the playoffs, just as the top-seeded Giants did. Schwartz is articulate, funny and known for his intelligent approach to the game. He has honed his interview style during the course of vying for the 49ers job in 2005, and being a candidate in Atlanta, Washington and Miami last year at this time.

From a public relations standpoint, the polished and well-presented Schwartz might be just the ticket for the Lions, given that no NFL franchise could use some positive vibes more than 0-16 Detroit. After the all-business approach of Rod Marinelli, Schwartz would represent a breath of fresh air as the face of the Lions, and he got off to a great start in his Monday news conference at the Detroit team complex, quipping how it might be time for the Lions to use their 2009 first overall pick to find a replacement for Bobby Layne at quarterback.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/don_banks/01/13/coaches/index.html

Maybe Schwartz could bring in a few FA from the Titans D too.

Or the up-and-comers that he knows about.

It is really starting to sound like Schwartz is the guy. I would be okay with that. I really don't want Bowles. Bring in someone that's been calling plays and has been successful at it, not another position coach/assistant coach.

Rivera hasn't interviewed yet though. He's an impressive guy too. But from what I've read and heard, Schwartz would be fine. His humor will help.

Dizon will likely have no place on this team outside of special teams and some backup situations.


Which begs the question...why did we draft him in the 2nd round!?!?!

I agree though, unless we convert to a 3-4, which is unlikely, Dizon is obsolete.

Bowles says he'd want to make us a 3-4 team, unless he got here and the players we kept around weren't 3-4 players, then it would be a hybrid 3-4/4-3


"From the time I got to the Jets, he told me I'd be a head coach in this league and he taught me accordingly," Bowles said. "He kept me by his side, he taught me step by step the structure of how to put a team in place and how to keep a team in place and not be a one-hit wonder."

After one year with the Jets, Bowles went to the Browns for four years before Parcells brought him to the Cowboys in 2005. Bowles spent three years there, and then when Parcells went to Miami last year, he brought Bowles along with him.

"Parcells has taught me more about, from the first guy on the roster to the last guy on the roster, how he fits into the system, why he fits into the system, why we want him on this team and why we don't want him on this team," Bowles said. "He taught me how to learn players."

It doesn't really matter which we run. We only have a few decent players on D anyway (which means we can draft/sign whatever fits that defense).

I'm just hoping it's man defense and that we use some zone blitzes.

I'm just hoping it's man defense and that we use some zone blitzes.

zone blitzes = ball bearings

http://www.pwctoday.com/image.php?u=9181&dateline=1133766915

Lions did call Frazier back for another Iview on Thursday. Maybe that was known but I thought they moved past him.

Also, regarding Frazier...I'm not sure hiring someone in our own division is the way to go. It could work in our favor cuz he knows Minni's D, but they'll know ours too.

Don't do it. Go with Schwartz...and hope he brings in some players.

I'm much higher on Scwartz than Frazier, just based on what I've heard, but I don't really know much about these things. Just what I've read in the papers.

the papers, the papers.

Spagnuolo must've bombed every interview he went to, because he does not seem to be a finalist for any of the vacant HC jigs.

NY Jets- Rex Ryan
Browns- Mangini
Raiders- Cable
Seahawks- Mora
Colts- Caldwell
Lions- Schwartz, Frazier, Bowles
Rams- Haslett, Frazier
Chiefs- Edwards, Ferentz
Broncos- McDaniels

I still can't believe that Marvin Lewis still has his job.

Whomelse has lasted longer without winning anything?

Millen?

I still can't believe that Marvin Lewis still has his job.

Whomelse has lasted longer without winning anything?

Millen?


To Marvin's defense, he didn't have a QB all season.

That doesn't explain the last 5+ years, though.

Ron Rivera reported to have taken the Jets job per 97.1 the ticket.

Could Spags really go from the hot commodity to not getting a job?

I wonder where Shanahan will go too.

the papers, the papers.

Wait, what's that from?

Moving over here now: http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14072

Wait, what's that from?

Jimmy Two Times

Jimmy Two Times

Thanks.