Holmgren, Mangini meet; no disclosure

Mike Holmgren, the Browns’ new president, is also looking for a general manager and has talked to one candidate.

By TONY GROSSI

THE Plain Dealer

BEREA — A lengthy meeting between Browns president Mike Holmgren and Eric Mangini on Wednesday failed to resolve Mangini’s future as coach of the Browns.

The meeting lasted a full two hours, a source told The Plain Dealer. The source did not know the tenor of the meeting or what details the two men discussed.

At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Holmgren said he gave Mangini “a list of things to think about” to prepare for their meeting, presumably to see whether they could work together despite apparent philosophical differences about the direction of the organization.

Holmgren explained that he didn’t want Mangini to be blindsided “with a bunch of pop questions from me.”

Earlier in the day, Holmgren interviewed general manager-candidate Tom Heckert Jr. in a private meeting in the team’s headquarters.

A club spokesman said that Holmgren would not comment on the meeting with Mangini until the Browns make a formal announcement on the coach’s future. There was no timetable on the announcement.

Mangini left his office at about 5:35 p.m. He hurriedly drove out of the executive parking area without stopping when a reporter tried to flag him down. Some of Mangini’s assistant coaches departed the building about 15 minutes before Mangini.

Holmgren exited about 30 minutes after Mangini, accompanied by long-time friend and agent Bob LaMonte.

LaMonte’s presence throughout Holmgren’s second day on the job does not mean a deal with Heckert necessarily is near. LaMonte also represents Heckert, but the Browns will have to interview a minority before filling the general manager position.

Possible minority candidates may include Will Lewis, director of pro personnel with Seattle; Reggie McKenzie, co-director of football operations with Green Bay; and Lake Dawson, director of pro personnel with Tennessee.

Heckert is the son of Youngstown native Tom Heckert Sr., who was a scout for the Browns in the 1980s. Heckert St. later served as Director of Player Personnel with the Miami Dolphins.

The Browns also may have to wait for permission to interview candidates with playoff teams. Philadelphia granted permission for Heckert, its GM, to the Browns and Seattle. Andy Reid, the Eagles coach and executive vice president, has said that he feels Heckert needs to expand his career by going to a team that would give him more authority than he has in Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, Holmgren said, “We’re going to be making some decisions by the end of the week hopefully. Something that I thought could be done rather quickly, sometimes, there are a lot of rules in the NFL, as you know, as far as hiring people and we’re going to abide by those rules. Teams are in playoffs, those types of considerations. It’s probably going to take a little bit longer then I had hoped.”

Team legal counsel Fred Nance, who handled the negotiations of Holmgren’s five-year contract with the Browns, remained in the building after Holmgren left.

Also, Pro Bowler Josh Cribbs believes it is “unlikely” he’ll play another game for the Browns. Insulted by the Browns’ latest contract offer, Cribbs intends to clean out his locker.

“It’s unlikely the way they’re talking right now,” Cribbs said Wednesday night. “I’m hurt because I don’t want to play for nobody else. But the way they’re talking, they’re leaving me no choice.”

Agent Peter Schaffer said Wednesday that the Browns failed to live up to previous promises they made to Cribbs. Schaffer said there is “no more middle ground” and that he is “extremely shocked” that Holmgren would not understand Cribbs’ value to the Browns.

“I’m not threatening anything,” Schaffer said. “Josh is either going to be treated fairly or he wants out.”

Schaffer said he gave the Browns until the end of the business day to come up with a better deal than the $1.4 million per year they offered. Cribbs has three years remaining on a six-year, $6.77 million deal.

But Schaffer said Dawn Aponte, the team’s vice president of football administration who handles contract negotiations, did not get back to him.