ESPN Insider - Peep Show 2-9-04

[bubba9497]

Peep Show

By Darrell Trimble

ESPN Insider

http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/story?id=1730927

Cleveland Browns: The team will have a few meetings with QB Tim Couch this week to decide if he'll remain with the team. The first will be with team president Carmen Policy and coach Butch Davis to inquire about his willingness to return and the second will be a meeting with Couch's agent, Tom Condon, to rework his contract that will pay him $7.6 million in 2004. The Browns would like to keep him at a reduced price tag, and they think he can be a solid quarterback for them, though not a star. "In his defense, he's only had one Pro Bowler on the offensive line in five years, and that was (tackle) Lomas Brown (in 1999), who was four years away from that Pro Bowl game," a Browns insider told the Akron-Beacon Journal. "The running game hasn't been there much. William Green was good for only half a season. He's dealt with a lot of turmoil and not had much help."

Jacksonville Jaguars: How good are the chances that the team will be able to trade QB Mark Brunell? Good enough that the Jags are willing to pay the veteran passer his $2 million bonus instead of cutting him. The Jags would have to pay the bonus if they want to trade him because NFL rules prohibit trades before the start of the league year, which is March 3 -- ironically the same day Brunell is set to receive his bonus. The Florida Times-Union reports that Washington, San Diego, Miami and Dallas have all approached them about acquiring Brunell in a trade instead of waiting for him to be released. According to the Times-Union, Washington owner Daniel Snyder has offered a second-round pick (41st overall) for Brunell. The Chargers, Dolphins and Cowboys also are open to dealing a second- or third-round choice. If every team offers a second-rounder, the Chargers would have the advantage because the Chargers have the 35th overall pick in the second round, which is the highest of all the teams.

Green Bay Packers: Though former GM Ron Wolf decided to end his retirement and come back to the NFL as a part time front-office figure with the Browns, the Packers won't be Wolf-less this year. Eliot Wolf, 21, his son has agreed to join the team as an assistant pro personnel scout, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette. Wolf has worked for the Packers as a scouting intern for four of the last five summers and was interviewed by Seattle, Philadelphia the Browns. "It's a real good opportunity," Wolf said upon his hiring. "Looking at this job compared with the other ones I talked about, this one has more responsibility. I know everyone that works there, and I can learn from everyone. They're great people to learn from."

Baltimore Ravens: The club was interested in bringing in Jim Fassel's son as an assistant but that interest seems to have died down. A Ravens official told the Baltimore Sun Sunday night that the younger Fassel has not declined the Ravens' offer, but it seems he is leaning toward remaining the head coach at New Mexico Highlands. That may be a sign of madness considering New Mexico Highlands is a Division II school that has lost 23 straight games, including a 0-10 record last season in Fassel's first year as the head coach. Apparently, he would like to turn the program around before leaving.

[Phat Hog]

The Florida Times-Union reports that Washington, San Diego, Miami and Dallas have all approached them about acquiring Brunell in a trade instead of waiting for him to be released. According to the Times-Union, Washington owner Daniel Snyder has offered a second-round pick (41st overall) for Brunell. The Chargers, Dolphins and Cowboys also are open to dealing a second- or third-round choice. If every team offers a second-rounder, the Chargers would have the advantage because the Chargers have the 35th overall pick in the second round, which is the highest of all the teams.

So much for the Prisco assertion.