Sam
01-06-2006, 01:54 PM
Friday, January 6, 2006
By RANDY LANGE
STAFF WRITER
Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson may have awakened Thursday morning in Baltimore, where he had interviewed Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel, to the blare of tabloid headlines and electronic reports of Herm Edwards being finished as the Jets' head coach.
If that was the case, why would Peterson want to part with even two mid-round picks to acquire Edwards? With that question hanging in the air, compensation talks between the Jets and Chiefs stalled during the day Thursday. And one end result stuck out like a sore thumb waiting to happen: Because of Edwards' decreased value, Jets owner Woody Johnson may feel he has no choice but to fire the coach he hired in 2001.
The chances of that being necessary softened at night. NFL sources said the talks resumed after the Jets either imposed a 6 p.m. deadline (ESPN reported) or did nothing of the sort (according to a Jets source).
And although nothing was reported finalized late Thursday, one league source said that compensation agreement "possibly" could come as soon as today, and The Associated Press cited a source who said Edwards could succeed the retired Dick Vermeil as Chiefs coach as soon as Friday.
Reports late Wednesday of an agreement between the sides on the draft choices Kansas City would give up to get Edwards were premature. Thursday, the Jets and Chiefs independently lowered cones of silence over the entire Edwards-to-Kansas City compensation discussion.
Jets search for a pilot
There are seven candidates - four named Mike, two named Jim - for the Jets' head-coaching job as Herm Edwards takes the westbound exit for Kansas City:
Former Green Bay head coach Mike Sherman: One-time Central Connecticut State player got Packers to four straight postseasons before Brett Favre and company crumbled.
Former New Orleans head coach Jim Haslett: Went downhill after playoff berth, NFL Coach of the Year award in 2000. Could be convinced to keep all the Jets' coordinators in place.
Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Fassel: Two years removed from his Giants heyday, he could have a happy return, although his Ravens' offenses were nothing to write home about.
Jets offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger: Will have to interview well to convince Woody Johnson the bad season of offense is not what a Dinger Era would look like.
Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson: Is talking with Saints for the job opened by Haslett's firing. But is he too abrasive for some in the Jets' front office to embrace?
Jets assistant head coach Mike Westhoff: Once thought he'd never be an NFL head coach because of bone cancer in his leg; now better, he wants - and deserves - an interview.
New England defensive coordinator Eric Mangini: Former Jets assistant turns 35 next week, but he's hot and well-schooled after working for 10 seasons under Bill Belichick.
- Randy Lange
However, word leaked that Edwards, according to league sources, told his assistant coaches in the morning for the first time that he won't be back with the Jets.
"The Chiefs consider Herm basically a fired coach now," a Kansas City source said. "They're not willing to ante up high draft picks. A five and a six is what they're probably trying to give up."
The Jets and general manager Terry Bradway, under mounting pressure to maximize the return for letting Edwards skip out on the final two seasons of his contract (valued by one industry source as closer to $1.6 million a year than $2 million a year), originally were interested in getting something closer to the second- and third-round picks the Chiefs gave up in 2000 to pry Vermeil away from St. Louis.
ESPN reported the compensation that had been on the table Wednesday was a fourth- and a fifth-rounder, the picks possibly split over the next two drafts, similar to how the Chiefs split the two Vermeil picks. But Peterson on Thursday became reluctant to close the deal.
If the sides deadlock again and shut down the negotiations, Johnson has to weigh his options.
They include striking a deal on the two-year extension that Edwards and agent Gary O'Hagan originally wanted for Herm to stay with the Jets; telling Edwards he must coach under the terms of his existing contract with no extension; or offering him a settlement.
And behind Door No. 4 is Edwards' pink slip.
That sounds like a bizarre development for Johnson, who the day before Thanksgiving said: "Herm's not leaving. It's a free world, but I don't want him to leave. I've never wanted him to leave. He doesn't want to leave. ... I'm very happy with Herm."
But recent developments may have convinced Johnson otherwise. Edwards, after repeating for the past six weeks, in his daily news conferences and to his team, that he planned to be the Jets' coach next season, behind the green doors made his unhappiness known about his Jets contract and about interest from the Chiefs.
One NFL source familiar with the situation called it "corporate adultery - Herm had an affair with another team while he was still coaching the Jets."
Not everyone shares that opinion of Edwards, but it may be the one that counts as this final hand of New York-Missouri hold 'em plays out. The Jets don't want to walk away with a pair of low-rounders. Peterson, although he has other coaching options, doesn't want to depart without the top name on his list.
Some in Kansas City say this happens frequently with Peterson negotiations. They call it "the dark before the dawn." Usually the sides hunker down, shake on an agreement, then slap each other on the backs.
That could happen as soon as today. But Johnson has made it clear he retains the option to tell Edwards, "You're terminated."
By RANDY LANGE
STAFF WRITER
Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson may have awakened Thursday morning in Baltimore, where he had interviewed Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel, to the blare of tabloid headlines and electronic reports of Herm Edwards being finished as the Jets' head coach.
If that was the case, why would Peterson want to part with even two mid-round picks to acquire Edwards? With that question hanging in the air, compensation talks between the Jets and Chiefs stalled during the day Thursday. And one end result stuck out like a sore thumb waiting to happen: Because of Edwards' decreased value, Jets owner Woody Johnson may feel he has no choice but to fire the coach he hired in 2001.
The chances of that being necessary softened at night. NFL sources said the talks resumed after the Jets either imposed a 6 p.m. deadline (ESPN reported) or did nothing of the sort (according to a Jets source).
And although nothing was reported finalized late Thursday, one league source said that compensation agreement "possibly" could come as soon as today, and The Associated Press cited a source who said Edwards could succeed the retired Dick Vermeil as Chiefs coach as soon as Friday.
Reports late Wednesday of an agreement between the sides on the draft choices Kansas City would give up to get Edwards were premature. Thursday, the Jets and Chiefs independently lowered cones of silence over the entire Edwards-to-Kansas City compensation discussion.
Jets search for a pilot
There are seven candidates - four named Mike, two named Jim - for the Jets' head-coaching job as Herm Edwards takes the westbound exit for Kansas City:
Former Green Bay head coach Mike Sherman: One-time Central Connecticut State player got Packers to four straight postseasons before Brett Favre and company crumbled.
Former New Orleans head coach Jim Haslett: Went downhill after playoff berth, NFL Coach of the Year award in 2000. Could be convinced to keep all the Jets' coordinators in place.
Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Fassel: Two years removed from his Giants heyday, he could have a happy return, although his Ravens' offenses were nothing to write home about.
Jets offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger: Will have to interview well to convince Woody Johnson the bad season of offense is not what a Dinger Era would look like.
Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson: Is talking with Saints for the job opened by Haslett's firing. But is he too abrasive for some in the Jets' front office to embrace?
Jets assistant head coach Mike Westhoff: Once thought he'd never be an NFL head coach because of bone cancer in his leg; now better, he wants - and deserves - an interview.
New England defensive coordinator Eric Mangini: Former Jets assistant turns 35 next week, but he's hot and well-schooled after working for 10 seasons under Bill Belichick.
- Randy Lange
However, word leaked that Edwards, according to league sources, told his assistant coaches in the morning for the first time that he won't be back with the Jets.
"The Chiefs consider Herm basically a fired coach now," a Kansas City source said. "They're not willing to ante up high draft picks. A five and a six is what they're probably trying to give up."
The Jets and general manager Terry Bradway, under mounting pressure to maximize the return for letting Edwards skip out on the final two seasons of his contract (valued by one industry source as closer to $1.6 million a year than $2 million a year), originally were interested in getting something closer to the second- and third-round picks the Chiefs gave up in 2000 to pry Vermeil away from St. Louis.
ESPN reported the compensation that had been on the table Wednesday was a fourth- and a fifth-rounder, the picks possibly split over the next two drafts, similar to how the Chiefs split the two Vermeil picks. But Peterson on Thursday became reluctant to close the deal.
If the sides deadlock again and shut down the negotiations, Johnson has to weigh his options.
They include striking a deal on the two-year extension that Edwards and agent Gary O'Hagan originally wanted for Herm to stay with the Jets; telling Edwards he must coach under the terms of his existing contract with no extension; or offering him a settlement.
And behind Door No. 4 is Edwards' pink slip.
That sounds like a bizarre development for Johnson, who the day before Thanksgiving said: "Herm's not leaving. It's a free world, but I don't want him to leave. I've never wanted him to leave. He doesn't want to leave. ... I'm very happy with Herm."
But recent developments may have convinced Johnson otherwise. Edwards, after repeating for the past six weeks, in his daily news conferences and to his team, that he planned to be the Jets' coach next season, behind the green doors made his unhappiness known about his Jets contract and about interest from the Chiefs.
One NFL source familiar with the situation called it "corporate adultery - Herm had an affair with another team while he was still coaching the Jets."
Not everyone shares that opinion of Edwards, but it may be the one that counts as this final hand of New York-Missouri hold 'em plays out. The Jets don't want to walk away with a pair of low-rounders. Peterson, although he has other coaching options, doesn't want to depart without the top name on his list.
Some in Kansas City say this happens frequently with Peterson negotiations. They call it "the dark before the dawn." Usually the sides hunker down, shake on an agreement, then slap each other on the backs.
That could happen as soon as today. But Johnson has made it clear he retains the option to tell Edwards, "You're terminated."