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In a game where progress is literally measured in yards, activist attorneys Johnnie Cochran and Cyrus Mehri are attempting to dramatically alter the calibration of the sideline markers, seeking instead a quantum leap in just one NFL hiring cycle.
Like most matters on the field, however, evolution off the field, in the hiring of coaches and management officials, tends to be relatively incremental.
|  | | Marvin Lewis takes over a Cincinnati team that won two games in 2002. |
But even as Mehri and Cochran rattle litigation sabers, and NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw publicly chastises the Detroit Lions for the Tuesday acquisition of Steve Mariucci, they may indeed be underestimating the progress achieved in recent weeks.
Sometimes, and this is one such case, the rhetoric eclipses the reality. But if those who seek change would take the time to weigh the results of the past month, they might realize the reality hasn't been nearly as deficient as they have made it out to be.
Marvin Lewis, a perennial bridesmaid candidate, is the new head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. San Francisco, the only remaining franchise without a coach, included two black defensive coordinators among its three finalists for its vacancy, and may yet hire one of them.
The new director of player personnel in Jacksonville is James Harris, who was one of the league's first black quarterbacks, and who now can repeat a pioneer legacy, this time in an NFL front office. Another former player, Martin Mayhew, on Monday was elevated by the Lions to the position of senior vice president of football administration and legal affairs.
That quartet may not represent the quantum leap that Cochran and Mehri, and even some NFL officials, had hoped for as the league lurched through its latest offseason ritual of subtraction and addition. But no matter how one chooses to define progress, it is easy to argue the past weeks have advanced the issue and raised the level of enlightenment.
"You always feel like more can be done," said Ozzie Newsome of the Baltimore Ravens, the NFL's first black general manager and a member of the league's workplace diversity committee. "But I think in the last month there has been progress, real progress, something on which to build."
It is even possible to quantify, in a way, the progress that has been achieved.
Consider this: Over the previous eight hiring-and-firing cycles, the pool of minority candidates has included only 10 different black assistant coaches. In the past month alone, five different minority coaches have interviewed for head coach positions, and at least two more were sought for interviews.
When it comes to complying with NFL guidelines about interviewing at least one minority candidate for a head coaching vacancy, Lions officials have argued that they tried and were rejected by several candidates. That is, indeed, the case. But it's also true that the Lions never contacted Ted Cottrell, Romeo Crenell or Greg Blache, all viable candidates elsewhere.
Nor did they contact longtime assistant coach Jimmy Raye, who, unlike some of his peers, would have interviewed even under a charade process, knowing full well that the team intended to hire Mariucci.
The Dallas Cowboys' pursuit of Dennis Green, essentially a couple phone calls by owner Jerry Jones, was equally flimsy.
But should Jones or Lions president Matt Millen be skewered for being candid with candidates? In fact, it is actually admirable in a way that Millen conceded to every candidate he contacted, at least the ones whose surname was not Mariucci, that he knew precisely who he wanted to hire. No one should be so naïve to believe that Marty Mornhinweg would have been fired had Mariucci not suddenly become available.
And that points out, in very real way, why the league guidelines must be further fine-tuned. When some teams, like Detroit and Dallas, are after one man, it is demeaning to conduct a charade of an interview process. In fact, it may be more demeaning than ignoring minority candidates altogether. Equal opportunity, after all, should not be portrayed as a dog-and-pony show.
Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney, who is chairman of the workplace diversity committee and who essentially framed the league guidelines, certainly is a well-intentioned man. But if he wanted the Lions to be in strict compliance with the league policy, he should have strongly suggested to his defensive coordinator, Tim Lewis, that he interview for the Detroit vacancy instead of rejecting the opportunity out of hand.
Frankly, some attorneys believe a policy that mandates the composition of the hiring pool would be deemed unconstitutional if tested in court. Then again, so would many other league rules, like the one on draft eligibility. That isn't to suggest the league abandon its initiative to further the cause of worthy minority candidates. Instead, the NFL needs to surge forward, but with a better understanding of where it is headed.
Instead of decrying what has occurred in the past month, perhaps the league should acknowledge the positives in what has transpired, and embrace this latest hiring cycle as a pretty good start. One new black head coach in place. Perhaps another to come. Two key front office positions filled by minorities.
No, it isn't the quantum leap many people wanted. But in the NFL, there are more long drives than big plays, more first downs than touchdowns. And in this hiring cycle, make no mistake, the yard markers moved forward.
Around the league
There is plenty of quiet speculation around the league about how the NFL will ultimately deal with the Lions' failure to interview even one minority candidate. Let's face it, even if the NFL levies a stiff fine, say $250,000, that still represents just one percent of what Detroit will pay Steve Mariucci in base salaries over the next five years. The hard-liners want a policy with teeth and, thus, are suggesting very strong sanctions. Two members of the workplace diversity committee with whom we spoke want the league to punish the Lions by taking away a draft choice. Make a book on it: That definitely will be one of the potential penalties discussed at length by the committee.
Mariucci is free to hire his own staff, but it will be interesting to see if the flap over minorities affects the composition of his assistant coaches. One example: Sherm Lewis, who was recently promoted to offensive coordinator under Marty Mornhinweg, and who worked with Mariucci on the Green Bay staff in the past. Lewis is very deserving, of course, of a coordinator's spot. To suggest he would be retained by Mariucci just because of color would demean his NFL tenure and his accomplishments. So let's hope he is retained on merit and not because anyone suggests the Lions need to find some ways to deflect criticism for the Mariucci hiring.
Pittsburgh officials have all but abandoned hopes of trading quarterback Kordell Stewart before free agency commences next month. Although they have fattened the coffers of their long-distance carrier in an attempt to locate a buyer, and called most franchises believed to be seeking a veteran passer, no team has really stepped forward. That means the eight-year veteran, who led the Steelers to the AFC championship game in 2001, will be jettisoned by month's end, to help Pittsburgh get under the '03 salary cap limit of $75 million. Because he is in his final contract year, it doesn't matter when the Steelers release Stewart, since the impact on their salary cap is the same. Stewart will count about $1.6 million against the cap, and the club will realize a $6.3 million rebate on his scheduled base salary for '03. One guy who's turning cartwheels is agent Leigh Steinberg, who preferred his client hit the open market, rather than be moved in a trade. Of course, even if Stewart had been traded, Steinberg would have had to negotiate a new contract with the team that acquired him. But in free agency, Steinberg feels, he might actually be able to draw the interest of a couple teams, leverage one against the other, and drive up the contract value.
Green Bay officials, including coach/general manager Mike Sherman, are now publicly conceding it might be time to start considering the eventual replacement for Brett Favre, whose plans are clearly uncertain beyond the '03 season, and who continues to talk openly about retirement. It's possible, even with needs in other areas, the Packers will use their first-round choice on a quarterback for the future. The player who continues to intrigue Green Bay scouts is Florida quarterback Rex Grossman, whose toughness and skill level, some Packers bird-dogs feel, is equivalent to that of a young Favre.
Forget those suggestions that New York Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn will move inside to free safety in 2003. Most personnel people, including those with the Giants, doubt Sehorn has the toughness to play safety. It is, of course, fashionable now to deploy safeties with more range. But Sehorn has a huge price tag in 2003, not the kind of cap number you want to experiment with, to see if a square peg can squeeze into a round hole. If Sehorn is cut, one team that might look at him is Atlanta, where coach Dan Reeves was once a huge fan. In 1997, his first year with the Falcons, Reeves hatched a plot to try to sign Sehorn to an offer sheet, in essence to steal him from his former employer. Nothing came of it, but Reeves loved Sehorn's athleticism and playmaking skills, and might be curious to see what he has left. Then again, the Falcons are already contemplating the possibility of switching left cornerback Ray Buchanan, who looks used up on the outside, to free safety for the 2003 season.
With the free agent period still three weeks off, it has nonetheless become fashionable to break out lists of the most desirable unrestricted players who will become available, once the calendar flips. But three weeks is basically an eternity in the NFL, and that's why such lists are superfluous at this point. Many of the best pending unrestricted free agents will sign extensions, and others will be retained by the current clubs by designating them "franchise" or "transition" players. So we're going to wait a while longer before rating the free agents. We couldn't help note, however, one site that ranks the top 50 free agents, although acknowledging many won't be available. The site claims to have compiled the list after discussions with general managers, personnel directors and coaches. Funny, then, how all those guys paid to evaluate talent failed to have Atlanta middle linebacker Keith Brooking among the top 50 potential free agents. Hard to believe so many people overlooked a guy who is among the top three players at his position. In terms of progress on an extension for Brooking, don't expect a deal until right before the Feb. 20 deadline for designating "franchise" players. And maybe not even then. Brooking is going to be looking for an eight-figure signing bonus, in the $10 million-$12 million range, and the Falcons aren't close to that yet.
Two pending free agents for whom we will step out on a limb and predict they will be among the best unrestricted bargains: Denver corner Tyrone Poole and Seattle wide receiver Bobby Engram. Neither veteran is going to break the bank, for sure, but both could be valuable additions for the right team. Poole, 31, actually retired from football in 2001, came back this year, and finished the season for the Broncos as a starter. The former first-round draft choice of the Carolina Panthers (1995) started four games, posted 51 tackles, one sack and 10 passes defensed, and was his usual feisty self in coverage. At just 5-feet-8, some teams will dismiss Poole, but others will try to make an early strike on him. This is a league where you can't even line up anymore without three viable corners, and Poole, at worst, will be a very valuable "nickel" guy for someone. Engram, 30, had 50 catches for Seattle in 2002, returned 21 punts for a 10.7-yard average, and was a terrific mentor for younger wide receivers like Koren Robinson. A seven-year veteran, he is a splendid possession receiver, a guy who consistently moves the chains. Like Poole, he won't tax anyone's salary cap, and will be worth whatever modest salary he is paid.
Interesting that the four kiss-and-make-up phone calls Peyton Manning and kicker Mike Vanderjagt had on Tuesday night still might not be enough to keep the Indianapolis Colts kicker with the team. Club officials will soon huddle with Vanderjagt for a face-to-face explanation of his criticisms of Manning and coach Tony Dungy. Ironic in the whole deal is that Dungy, portrayed by Vanderjagt as being too soft, was even more upset about the incident, team sources say, than was general manager Bill Polian. If that's the case, it is certainly notable, since Polian has one of the most legendary hair-trigger tempers in recent NFL history.
For 10 years, Hall of Fame middle linebacker Mike Singletary eschewed a coaching career but, now that he is back in the game as linebackers mentor in Baltimore, bet the house it won't take him nearly that long to move into the head coach candidate ranks. Singletary actually sought the head coach job at his alma mater, Baylor, this spring but wasn't seriously considered because of his lack of experience. "But if you sat in when he talked to us before (Super Bowl XXXV) a couple years ago, you knew he had something going for him in terms of ability to connect with people," said Ravens star linebacker Peter Boulware. "You watch. He'll be a head coach in the league in four or five years if he really wants to be." Baltimore head coach Brian Billick had Singletary address his team before Super Bowl XXXV.
There is still much of the pre-draft evaluation process to come but scouts feel the tailback position is incredibly weak in the '03 lottery. Penn State star Larry Johnson is regarded as an upright runner who takes a lot of hits and might be best suited to a one-back offense. Oregon's Onterrio Smith is shorter than some teams like. One guy who could emerge at the position is Lee Suggs of Virginia Tech who has vowed to show up at the combine at 215 pounds, 10-12 more than his usual playing weight. Suggs could jump to the front of the tailback class with a good spring. More than a mere weight gain, though, Suggs is going to have to run a good 40-yard time to make a move up the draft boards.
The Seattle Seahawks are being questioned in some quarters for the new contract they awarded right offensive tackle Chris Terry, a deal that includes a $5 million signing bonus. But there are some Carolina officials who wish the team hadn't released Terry in the final month of the season after he did not appear in court for a case involving domestic abuse. And the Seahawks coaches felt that Terry, who started in the final month and really solidified a very tenuous position for them, was a model citizen in his brief time there. Said one Seattle coach: "The guy most important for how well we played offensively down the stretch certainly was (quarterback Matt) Hasselbeck, but I would make Terry the second-biggest reason. He saved our (butts) at right tackle. Really, where are you going to get a guy who is better than maybe half the right tackles in the league, and get him for free, just grabbing him from the waiver wire? I mean, that's not even a steal, that's a heist."
Speaking of offensive tackles, there are a couple teams snooping around Kansas City starter John Tait, and willing to do a deal if the Chiefs decide to move him. Tait is a three-year pro, moved to right tackle to accommodate the acquisition of Willie Roaf in 2002, but some teams feel he could fit in for them as a left tackle, his more natural position. Don't be surprised if the Houston Texans take a look at him.
For any team seeking a middle linebacker, break out tape of Saints starter Charlie Clemons, who did not have as good a year in 2002 as in '01, but who remains a solid player. Clemons has the ability to void the final year of his current deal, the '03 season, and make himself an unrestricted free agent. He hasn't made up his mind yet what direction to go but the Saints, who had appeared interested at mid-season in signing Clemons to an extension, have made no overtures since then. Their silence could indicate a lack of interest, in which case Clemons would probably opt out of his deal.
Here's the breakdown on the five-year, $9 million contract extension signed by Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam this week, in a surprise move that keeps him off the free agent market: The signing bonus is $2.675 million and the base salaries are $755,000 (for 2003), $760,000 (2004), $765,000 (2005), $1.3 million (2006) and $2.245 million (2007). Essentially it is a three-year deal worth $4.955 million. The Broncos then have the right to exercise an option on the final two seasons by paying Elam a $500,000 bonus in the spring of 2006. No matter how you cut it, though, it represents a tremendous deal for a player who went into the offseason believing that he had played his final game in a Broncos uniform and was resigned to testing unrestricted free agency to gauge his worth.
Punts: Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, and that isn't exactly good news for the rest of the league. ... The Redskins are nearing an extension agreement with defensive tackle Daryl Gardener to keep him out of the unrestricted free agent market. ... New Orleans isn't opening shopping left offensive tackle Kyle Turley but will listen to trade offers if other teams call. ... Look for the Buffalo Bills to release tight end Jay Riemersma before the start of the free agent signing period. ... The suggestion that some Minnesota team officials and players might be in any way responsible for the alleged charges of assault at a charity event, even if unfounded, won't help Vikings owner Red McCombs in his efforts to get a new stadium for his team. ... Eagles coaches are thrilled with the rehabilitation of tailback Correll Buckhalter from knee surgery that cost him the entire 2002 campaign. ... Dolphins tailback and NFL rushing champion Ricky Williams will have shoulder surgery next week, but it should not have an impact on his participation in any of the team's spring mini-camps. ... The Tennessee Titans remain in negotiations with team president Jeff Diamond, whose contract expires at the end of the month, but who would like to stay with the organization.
The last word: "It's like being a resident of the Lincoln Tunnel right now, as I used to say in New York. I go to work when it's dark, and I go home when it's dark. I've only been to one restaurant. I haven't been out much looking for houses on the weekend, (because) two hours of that just whips me to death." -- Bill Parcells on his first month with the Dallas Cowboys.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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