We already know that Mike Holmgren’s days as president of the Browns are winding down and another member of the team’s hierarchy thinks that he’ll be joining the man who hired him on the unemployment line.
Zac Jackson and Pat McManamon of FoxSportsOhio.com report that General Manager Tom Heckert has been telling people close to him that he believes he will be let go by new owner Jimmy Haslam and incoming president Joe Banner at the end of the season. They also report that Heckert has been in contact with people around the league in hopes of landing a spot on another team’s personnel staff in 2013. Among the teams mentioned are the Colts, where Ryan Grigson, Heckert’s former colleague with the Eagles, runs the football operations.
While Haslam said Tuesday that there have been no decisions made about the future beyond replacing Holmgren with Banner, it wouldn’t be surprising if the new regime decided to start fresh. Haslam just spent a lot of money to gain control of the Browns and people usually like to have their choices in charge of such an expensive undertaking.
Things could change, especially if Heckert draft picks like Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson and Joe Haden help get the team back to respectability. Banner also knows Heckert from their time with the Eagles, but Heckert is still probably wise to consider what would come next if and when the hammer falls.