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Browns clean out pro personnel department

Browns coach Eric Mangini and his staff of assistants have survived the initial days of the Big Show’s big show in Cleveland.

Some members of the front office haven’t been as lucky.

Per a league source, the Browns cleaned out their pro personnel department on Thursday.

Though we’ve yet to track down specific names of the now-former employees, potentially affected individuals include senior director of pro personnel Steve Sabo, director of pro personnel Keith O’Quinn, associate director of pro personnel Jim Jauch, and assistant director of pro personnel James Kirkland.  (Surprisingly, the Browns don’t have an assistant to the regional manager of pro personnel.)

In NFL parlance, “pro personnel” relates to the ongoing evaluation and monitoring of players who are already in the league, and who might at some point be available via trade, waivers, or free agency.

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22 Responses to “Browns clean out pro personnel department”
  1. kappa08 says: Jan 14, 2010 1:31 PM

    The Bucs need to follow…..To me it’s the weakest part of their organization…they haven’t had a good draft since Sam Weische was the coach….

  2. jwill007 says: Jan 14, 2010 1:33 PM

    4 Emps to look at players already in the league??
    YEAH OK!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. dawgfan says: Jan 14, 2010 1:35 PM

    WOW… looking at the talent we have had since our expansion back into the league I didn’t even know we had people doing that stuff!!
    Go Big Show Go!!

  4. The Coop says: Jan 14, 2010 1:37 PM

    Can’t argue with this. Before Mangini got here, the roster was complete devoid of talent, specifically roster spots 45-53. Say what you want about Mangini, he has definitely improved the depth of the roster.

  5. manginiwithcheese says: Jan 14, 2010 1:38 PM

    Nice “Office” ref.
    What’s weird to me is the waiver and in season FA pickups this season were what saved Mangini’s job. Those guys seemed to outplay the former Jets and recent draft picks. Go figure.

  6. buckifan4life says: Jan 14, 2010 1:38 PM

    Or, “an assistant to the traveling secretary.”
    I crack myself up…

  7. DaDawg26 says: Jan 14, 2010 1:40 PM

    Enter Will Lewis formerly of Seattle, along with his new PP staff.

  8. Duan says: Jan 14, 2010 1:42 PM

    You guys knew that kind of stuff? You have the Pro Personnel and then you have the College Scouts.
    But you can tell our Pro Personnel department was garbage by the free agent acquisitions we made since 1999 – we had some decent ones like Jamir Miller, but the achilles injury killed him.
    I like that they did that, that will get a team in place for the start of FA on February 26th. We need to fill at least 3 holes with some starters so that all the pressure is not on the draft.

  9. RK says: Jan 14, 2010 1:44 PM

    Bad news if they let Sabo go. That guy has been one of the few bright spots for the Browns FO over the last few years. Some of the talent he managed to acquire this season off the waiver wires helped the Browns down the stretch greatly. Hope he lands on his feet.

  10. sammm says: Jan 14, 2010 1:47 PM

    Finally, someone competent overseeing things!
    Hopefully better days are ahead for us Browns fans.

  11. StevePhillipsLikesFat/UglyChicks says: Jan 14, 2010 1:55 PM

    1. QB
    2. RB
    3. TE
    4. #1 WR
    5. RT
    6. RG
    7. DE
    8. NT
    9. ILB
    10. CB
    11. SS
    12. FS
    Really no paticular order. Just figured I’d help everyone with the team needs.

  12. dcfan-1212450 says: Jan 14, 2010 2:04 PM

    Its funny but under Snyder and Cerrato in Washington, im not entirely sure we had an entire department to replace.

  13. Dr. Hannibal Lector says: Jan 14, 2010 2:15 PM

    At least the assistant to the trevelling secretary is safe.

  14. Dave says: Jan 14, 2010 2:57 PM

    RK says:
    January 14, 2010 1:44 PM
    Bad news if they let Sabo go. That guy has been one of the few bright spots for the Browns FO over the last few years. Some of the talent he managed to acquire this season off the waiver wires helped the Browns down the stretch greatly. Hope he lands on his feet.
    RK.. Are you kidding me?? Sabo was there through 3-4 staffs. A lot of people took the bullet while he kept on surviving. Smells like some back stabbing on his part to me. Sabo has done NOTHING to improve that team.

  15. Gary Michaels says: Jan 14, 2010 3:34 PM

    It’s unfair to accuse Sabo of backstabbing. First of all, nobody from Savage pro personnel department was fired this past year (TJ McCreight was released, but he was director of player personnel and oversaw both pro personnel and the draft).
    With each new regime, Sabo was just below the “cut line.” Consequently, his position was elevated. To say that he was able to stick around because of backstabbing is unfair. It is just as likely that he was a person who was capable of working with many different bosses.
    Lastly, saying Sabo did “NOTHING” to improve the team is ridiculous. Pro personnel also performs a scouting duty for the coaching staff during the season. Do you know what Sabo contributed to that part of the job? Was he responsible for finding key weaknesses in opposing players? Furthermore, do you know what Sabo recommended in terms of free agent acquisitions? Maybe he was against some of the Browns’ dud pickups.
    I’m not saying the guy was necessarily good or bad, but I think as a fan, it’s impossible for us to judge his impact.

  16. Dave says: Jan 14, 2010 3:53 PM

    Gary.. Mangini did not use Sabo for “a scouting duty for the coaching staff during the season” – known as advance scouting – Sabo was strictly responsible for evaluating pro personnel. Mangini did not trust Sabo for advance scouting. He hired a guy from Dallas for that purpose.

  17. Gary Michaels says: Jan 14, 2010 4:15 PM

    Dave, I’ll trust that you have some inside information on that one. Even if that’s the case, I still say that we know little to nothing about Sabo’s contribution to the team (in this season and other seasons as well).

  18. 1stngoal says: Jan 14, 2010 4:22 PM

    Ya, whats with giving the axe to Steve Sabol??? Does that mean no more Cleveland Brown highlight videos from NFL Films???

  19. Dave says: Jan 14, 2010 5:03 PM

    1stngoal… Its Sabo, not Sabol.. Different people. Steve Sabo has nothing to do with NFL Films..

  20. biggjo says: Jan 14, 2010 6:43 PM

    First off DAVE has no insider info… This is guy is a joke. Probably posting from his mommies basements getting ready to head to McDonalds to run the fries on the night shift! So listen up you clowns attempting to talk smack about the Browns personnel may be a bit off here… Scouting simply reports their findings to who?? And who makes the final decision on who we draft and/or pick up DUAN/Mickey D’aves??? O-yeah Man-genuis? Who had a sweet draft?? A solid year of coaching….And great running back choices too – heck he was even decisive at QB?

  21. Dawgpound2009 says: Jan 14, 2010 8:51 PM

    While the Browns are cleaning this department, they might as well hand Derek Anderson, Donte Stallworth, Brodney Poole, Brandon McDonald, Hank Poteat, Robert Royal, Brett Ratcliffe and Reggie Hodges some boxes also.
    Mancheesi may hand walking papers to or insist on trading Brady Quinn, John St. Clair, Kamerion Wimbely, or Eric Wright. Hopefully they will do the right thing and renegotiate Joshua Cribbs contract also. It will be interesting to see what Heckert and Holmgren have in mind.

  22. GoBrowns19 says: Jan 15, 2010 9:11 AM

    Before they hire anyone, they need to interview Sherman Hemsley, Mr. T, Jesse Jackson, and Gary Coleman. Take that Rooney Rulers!

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