Karnage84 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 (edited) Any thoughts on a set up sort of like this? There's a few important gaps to fill in but there's a decent framework. Bill Cowher - Head of Football Operations (Football Czar) Omar Khan - General Manager Marvin Lewis - Head Coach Matt Canada - Offensive Co-Ordinator TBD - Defensive Co-Ordinator Brayden Coombs - Special Teams Co-Ordinator Hank Haley - Offensive Line Coach Joey Porter - Linebackers Coach If Cowher does return to football I don't really expect it to be as a HC. Maybe he's going to get the itch but after 14 years away, it's doubtful that he'd want to get back into the daily grind. However as the organizational CEO on the football side, he could bring a lot of the elements that have made the Pittsburgh Steelers successful for a long period of time without being totally hands on. Khan has been a long standing part of that organization and should be on the same page as Cowher while imparting some newer ideas that will have developed under Tomlin. Rather than try to tap into the Steelers/Tomlin coaching tree, I took a look at Cowher's. If the Lions are looking to emphasize experience, it would be difficult to find someone with these connections with more experience than Lewis. He was interviewed by the Cowboys before they hired McCarthy. Canada brings in the youthful element that has been discussed as needed. He was the interim HC at Maryland and has been the OC throughout various stops in the college ranks (Northern Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, NC State, Pittsburgh, LSU, Maryland). Currently the QB coach in Pittsburgh. Cowher > Coaching Record - 0.623, 12/21 in playoffs, 1x AFC Champs, 1x Super Bowl Champs Lewis > Coaching Record - 0.518, 0/7 in playoffs Edited December 9, 2020 by Karnage84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LionArkie Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 I wouldn't hate it. The biggest question mark to me is Cowher. I love Cowher as he is one of my all time favorites, but has he been gone to long to be relevant? Especially as a Czar? I've already stated if we go with a fresh hire, I'd really like to take a hard long look at Khan. He was on my radar when Quinn was hired and was disappointed he didn't make the list. I think Marvin Lewis is a step up for me from Caldwell. He might work well enough. I think it looks like a football staff. I believe it to be a significant step up from Quintricia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 10 minutes ago, LionArkie said: I wouldn't hate it. The biggest question mark to me is Cowher. I love Cowher as he is one of my all time favorites, but has he been gone to long to be relevant? Especially as a Czar? I've already stated if we go with a fresh hire, I'd really like to take a hard long look at Khan. He was on my radar when Quinn was hired and was disappointed he didn't make the list. I think Marvin Lewis is a step up for me from Caldwell. He might work well enough. I think it looks like a football staff. I believe it to be a significant step up from Quintricia. From what I understand about Cowher (which isn't a ton) he isn't a micro manager and really operates more as the CEO. This is the same kind of approach he would bring in as the head of the organization on the football side. If the Fords love Rod Wood he can slide into a position that is more in his wheelhouse and let the football people do their football thing. You'd have two guys with winning resumes (one much more than the other) as the head of the overall organization and both guys with a focus on the defense. Someone like Canada would probably bring in more of the elements that Stafford would want with an up tempo offense, motions, etc. I wouldn't have an issue of bringing back Bevell myself but he's probably going to be elsewhere, especially with a full on change. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardlionfan Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 (edited) I think this is the right idea. Frankly if Cowher could be brought to the Lions he can pick his job.🤠 There is one individual in the organization that intrigues me. Jimmy Raye III. It’s really tough to know about an individuals input and responsibilities with the convoluted titles. Raye had a very interesting run with both the Chargers and Colts. https://www.detroitlions.com/team/front-office-roster/jimmy-raye-iii The way you set it up you have experience with Cowher and Lewis. That experience opens up lots of possibilities for introducing fresh coordinators etc. Edited December 10, 2020 by diehardlionfan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Just now, diehardlionfan said: I think this is the right idea. Frankly if Cowher could be brought to the Lions he can pick his job.🤠 There is one individual in the organization that intrigues me. Jimmy Raye III. It’s really tough to know about an individuals input and responsibilities with the convoluted titles. Raye had a very interesting run with both the Chargers https://www.detroitlions.com/team/front-office-roster/jimmy-raye-iii If he would want to be the HC, great but I have my doubts that someone who has been out of that game after SO long would want to jump right in. Being the top dog without the day in/day out of roster management, schemes, game planning for opponents, etc. seems to be a better course of action IMO. Lewis is still involved on the coaching side at ASU and interviewed with the Cowboys, so he clearly does want to get back into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 From what I could find, Cowher is being paid $4M/year. I can't find salary figures for Bob Quinn. If you're the Lions you're probably going to have to pay Cowher between $6 - 8M in that role to get him off the tube. Lewis is likely going to command $8M. Khan would probably have a salary of around $3M. So we'd be looking at close to $20M just to get competent leadership in the football operations. Is this likely going to happen? Probably not. If it does, I do think it would dispell the assumption that the Lions don't care about winning. That would be a significant commitment to an overall organizational and culture change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardlionfan Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 4 minutes ago, Karnage84 said: If he would want to be the HC, great but I have my doubts that someone who has been out of that game after SO long would want to jump right in. Being the top dog without the day in/day out of roster management, schemes, game planning for opponents, etc. seems to be a better course of action IMO. Lewis is still involved on the coaching side at ASU and interviewed with the Cowboys, so he clearly does want to get back into it. Boomer commented over the past while that he thinks Cowher is interested in and would accept the Jets HC gig. I was actually hoping that Cowher would be brought on as a consultant for the GM search. While I would love to see him hired for a permanent position I strongly doubt Detroit could get his interest. If Cowher wants to return he would have his pick of open jobs and Detroit simply isn’t that attractive. To make it happen I think the Fords would have to give him a small piece of ownership which they likely wouldn’t consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardlionfan Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 2 minutes ago, Karnage84 said: From what I could find, Cowher is being paid $4M/year. I can't find salary figures for Bob Quinn. If you're the Lions you're probably going to have to pay Cowher between $6 - 8M in that role to get him off the tube. Lewis is likely going to command $8M. Khan would probably have a salary of around $3M. So we'd be looking at close to $20M just to get competent leadership in the football operations. Is this likely going to happen? Probably not. If it does, I do think it would dispell the assumption that the Lions don't care about winning. That would be a significant commitment to an overall organizational and culture change. Realistically I don’t think Detroit can afford it. I also think the only way Cowher comes to Detroit is if he has an ownership piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy1609 Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-insider-notes-these-are-the-general-manager-candidates-drawing-the-most-buzz-broken-down-into-tiers/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy1609 Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 3 hours ago, Karnage84 said: Any thoughts on a set up sort of like this? There's a few important gaps to fill in but there's a decent framework. Bill Cowher - Head of Football Operations (Football Czar) Omar Khan - General Manager Marvin Lewis - Head Coach Matt Canada - Offensive Co-Ordinator TBD - Defensive Co-Ordinator Brayden Coombs - Special Teams Co-Ordinator Hank Haley - Offensive Line Coach Joey Porter - Linebackers Coach If Cowher does return to football I don't really expect it to be as a HC. Maybe he's going to get the itch but after 14 years away, it's doubtful that he'd want to get back into the daily grind. However as the organizational CEO on the football side, he could bring a lot of the elements that have made the Pittsburgh Steelers successful for a long period of time without being totally hands on. Khan has been a long standing part of that organization and should be on the same page as Cowher while imparting some newer ideas that will have developed under Tomlin. Rather than try to tap into the Steelers/Tomlin coaching tree, I took a look at Cowher's. If the Lions are looking to emphasize experience, it would be difficult to find someone with these connections with more experience than Lewis. He was interviewed by the Cowboys before they hired McCarthy. Canada brings in the youthful element that has been discussed as needed. He was the interim HC at Maryland and has been the OC throughout various stops in the college ranks (Northern Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, NC State, Pittsburgh, LSU, Maryland). Currently the QB coach in Pittsburgh. Cowher > Coaching Record - 0.623, 12/21 in playoffs, 1x AFC Champs, 1x Super Bowl Champs Lewis > Coaching Record - 0.518, 0/7 in playoffs don't think Cowher wants to leave cbs(my guess) also no to marvin Lewis as hc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 15 hours ago, diehardlionfan said: Boomer commented over the past while that he thinks Cowher is interested in and would accept the Jets HC gig. I was actually hoping that Cowher would be brought on as a consultant for the GM search. While I would love to see him hired for a permanent position I strongly doubt Detroit could get his interest. If Cowher wants to return he would have his pick of open jobs and Detroit simply isn’t that attractive. To make it happen I think the Fords would have to give him a small piece of ownership which they likely wouldn’t consider. Yeah, I would agree with all of that. I had heard the same thing about the Jets job however I still have a tough time seeing him come out of retirement and get back into the grind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sllim Pickens Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 19 hours ago, Karnage84 said: From what I could find, Cowher is being paid $4M/year. I can't find salary figures for Bob Quinn. If you're the Lions you're probably going to have to pay Cowher between $6 - 8M in that role to get him off the tube. Lewis is likely going to command $8M. Khan would probably have a salary of around $3M. So we'd be looking at close to $20M just to get competent leadership in the football operations. Is this likely going to happen? Probably not. If it does, I do think it would dispell the assumption that the Lions don't care about winning. That would be a significant commitment to an overall organizational and culture change. Marvin Lewis would likely get around 4M a year. GMs make 1-3M a year so if its the high side, say 3M. Cowher in a role that isnt as demanding would likely be closer to what he makes at CBS and would be because he wants a change in career, not money as I dont think he is money driven at this point. He has had lucrative opportunities and most can live comfortably with his 4M a year from CBS. Either way, the Lions can afford it, its whether they choose to afford it. It costs money to make money and being a winning organization makes you a lot of money. It would be well worth a $15-20M a year investment if it increases the value of your franchise and you make more money. And to be fair, Cowher would be the only additional expense since they need a GM and coach anyways. It would mean more nationally televised games, likely more playoff exposure, and if they were to win a super bowl, a lot of exposure and more money. So it is a smart business move as well as a smart football move that I agree with you, would dispel the concerns that they dont really care about winning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardlionfan Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 4 hours ago, Sllim Pickens said: Marvin Lewis would likely get around 4M a year. GMs make 1-3M a year so if its the high side, say 3M. Cowher in a role that isnt as demanding would likely be closer to what he makes at CBS and would be because he wants a change in career, not money as I dont think he is money driven at this point. He has had lucrative opportunities and most can live comfortably with his 4M a year from CBS. Either way, the Lions can afford it, its whether they choose to afford it. It costs money to make money and being a winning organization makes you a lot of money. It would be well worth a $15-20M a year investment if it increases the value of your franchise and you make more money. And to be fair, Cowher would be the only additional expense since they need a GM and coach anyways. It would mean more nationally televised games, likely more playoff exposure, and if they were to win a super bowl, a lot of exposure and more money. So it is a smart business move as well as a smart football move that I agree with you, would dispel the concerns that they dont really care about winning. Your last paragraph is true. However we have never seen signs that the Lions are willing to operate at a loss short term to win longer term. Rod Woods first priority when CJ retired was getting his signing bonus back. Talk about short sighted. That’s the way the Lions have always been though. Cowher isn’t going to take a job unless it’s financially worthwhile. Opportunity, challenge and compensation. If any of those areas aren’t right, in his eyes, he wouldn’t take the job. On top of that it’s the Lions so it’s not like it will be the best opportunity out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karnage84 Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 14 minutes ago, diehardlionfan said: Your last paragraph is true. However we have never seen signs that the Lions are willing to operate at a loss short term to win longer term. Rod Woods first priority when CJ retired was getting his signing bonus back. Talk about short sighted. That’s the way the Lions have always been though. Cowher isn’t going to take a job unless it’s financially worthwhile. Opportunity, challenge and compensation. If any of those areas aren’t right, in his eyes, he wouldn’t take the job. On top of that it’s the Lions so it’s not like it will be the best opportunity out there. That is sort of my thinking in this. If I had to bet on this structure showing up as illustrated (Cowher/Khan/Lewis), I'd probably give it a 1% chance or less at actually happening. Some combination of 2/3 of those guys might be at 5%... it's a lot less likely to happen in any capacity. However if we do have any chance... we're going to have to pay for it. The rumours are that he's interested in the Jets job. It's a bit alluring: New York market, #1 overall draft pick, Sam Darnold already on roster, clean slate, stupid amount of cap space ($28M from 2020 + $49M = $77M) before making roster moves. If he wants to get back into football but not in the coaching ranks, the Lions do have some pieces that are enticing (Stafford, Swift, KG, Hock, OL) but $ talks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardlionfan Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 On 12/10/2020 at 4:26 PM, Karnage84 said: That is sort of my thinking in this. If I had to bet on this structure showing up as illustrated (Cowher/Khan/Lewis), I'd probably give it a 1% chance or less at actually happening. Some combination of 2/3 of those guys might be at 5%... it's a lot less likely to happen in any capacity. However if we do have any chance... we're going to have to pay for it. The rumours are that he's interested in the Jets job. It's a bit alluring: New York market, #1 overall draft pick, Sam Darnold already on roster, clean slate, stupid amount of cap space ($28M from 2020 + $49M = $77M) before making roster moves. If he wants to get back into football but not in the coaching ranks, the Lions do have some pieces that are enticing (Stafford, Swift, KG, Hock, OL) but $ talks. The more research I do the more interested I am in Ed Dodds. While not having experience as a GM he has a great history as a talent evaluator and is officially the A/GM for Indy. He was long considered John Schneider’s secret weapon in Seattle. I know I will get jumped on for this. I want everyone to take a look at Darrell Bevell for HC. Luckily everyone will get a brief look at him, albeit under less than favourable conditions. Everyone has been throwing out the popular names of late but compare Bevells resume, prior to getting hooked up with Quinn and Patricia. I would like to know of a coordinator in the league that can match Bevells resume. He can develop QB’s and played the position. He has worked as O/C under three different management teams. He has coached numerous OPOY. As O/C in both Minnesota and Seattle he was part of rebuilding programs that were very successful. He has also won a Super Bowl. He gets blamed for the game losing play in the Seattle SB loss however it was Carroll that called the play. He may not be the guy but he certainly should be strongly considered and not just by how the Lions finish the season. My previous feelings about experience are still valid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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