Browns tried to trade for Jim Harbaugh

[ThomasTomasz]

The Cleveland Browns had one of the wildest coaching searches in recent memory this year, not only were candidates turning down the job, but apparently, Cleveland tried to trade for a new coach. According to ProFootballTalk.com, the Browns and 49ers had a deal in place that would've sent Jim Harbaugh to Cleveland for draft picks.

The Browns would've gotten Harbaugh and in return, the 49ers would have received multiple draft picks from Cleveland. Apparently the deal was in place and going to happen, but in the end, Harbaugh decided not to leave and the Browns went on to hire Mike Pettine.

Cleveland didn't exactly deny the report in a statement, "The team conducted an extensive coaching search, and explored several options," the team said. "That search produced an outstanding head coach in Mike Pettine and we're excited about his future with the club."

The 49ers went the opposite route and denied the report to NFL.com. Two sources told the league's website that the report that Harbaugh was almost traded is 'completely false and ridiculous.'

Forty-Niners CEO Jed York also denied that there were any trade talks. So the 49ers are denying it outright, but the Browns aren't.

This trade would have been intriguing for several reasons. First, Harbaugh would have been sent to the AFC North which means we'd have two Har-Bowls a year between Jim and his brother, Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

Second, this could possibly mean that the 49ers would be willing to let Harbaugh leave if his demands get too ridiculous in upcoming contract negotiations. Harbaugh just finished the third-year of a five-year deal that he signed in 2011. The contract is paying Harbaugh $5 million a year and no matter where he ends up after the contract, you can bet he'll be making more money.

A coach being traded for draft picks isn't completely ridiculous. The Boston Celtics sent Doc Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers in June for a valuable 2015 first-round pick.

The last NFL trade involving a coach came in 2002 when the Raiders sent Jon Gruden to the Buccaneers for Tampa Bay's 2002 and 2003 first-round draft picks. The Raiders also received two second-round picks and cash in the deal.

In 2006, Herm Edwards was kind of traded to Kansas City. The Jets agreed to let Edwards out of his contract in exchange for a fourth-round pick from the Chiefs. New York got the pick and Edwards ended up signing on as Kansas City's coach.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick was also involved in a trade. In January 2000, the Jets hired Belichick, a coach the Patriots wanted. New England owner Robert Kraft then agreed to send the Patriots 2000 first-round pick to the Jets, in exchange, New York released Belichick from his contract, according to a Jan. 28, 2000 story in the New York Times. The Jets also received the Patriots fourth- and seventh-round picks in 2001.

The Belichick trade was the second time in three years the two teams were involved in a coaching trade that involved Belichick. In 1997, the Jets wanted Bill Parcells, but Parcells was under contract with the Patriots. To get around that, the Jets hired Parcells' top assistant as head coach and brought on Parcells in an advisory role. That assistant the Jets hired? Bill Belichick.

The Patriots weren't happy about that Parcells was in New York, so NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue ended up brokering a deal. In the end, Parcells ended up as the Jets head coach, Belichick ended up as an assistant and the Patriots received the Jets first-round draft pick in 1999, a second-round pick in 1998 and New York's third- and fourth-round picks in 1997.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...ns-almost-traded-for-49ers-coach-jim-harbaugh

Just wow.......Browns fans deserve so much better than this disaster right now.

 

[Aso]

I don't see this really being bad for Browns fans. They tried to trade to get one of the best coaches in the NFL right now.

This will be bad news for the 49ers if they don't pay Jim Harbaugh the way he should be paid. Seems like they don't value him a whole lot. How long did it take them to find a quality HC? They go from Dennis Erickson all the way to Mike Singletary.

And how did trading Jon Gruden wind up for the Raiders? Looking at it the trade looked like a steal for the Raiders but a quality HC like Gruden/Harbaugh is not easily replaceable. There are always ways you can acquire talent. Getting a great HC isn't quite as easy.

 

[spursup]

Who in their right mind would think Jim Harbaugh would leave San Fran for Cleveland? This shouldn't even be a major story.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

I don't see this really being bad for Browns fans. They tried to trade to get one of the best coaches in the NFL right now.

This will be bad news for the 49ers if they don't pay Jim Harbaugh the way he should be paid. Seems like they don't value him a whole lot. How long did it take them to find a quality HC? They go from Dennis Erickson all the way to Mike Singletary.

And how did trading Jon Gruden wind up for the Raiders? Looking at it the trade looked like a steal for the Raiders but a quality HC like Gruden/Harbaugh is not easily replaceable. There are always ways you can acquire talent. Getting a great HC isn't quite as easy.

Absolutely correct on finding coaches. There's a reason that the Steelers have hired infrequently, and why teams with sustained success don't move that coach. With the amount of coaches being fired recently, it's quite clear that it's not an easy position to hire for.

For the Niners, the only thing that I can think of is that they expect Roman or Fangio to be able to step in and keep things going. Roman especially receives a lot of attention for HC jobs, but can he do what Harbaugh does? That's a tall order.

 

[buckeye]

Who in their right mind would think Jim Harbaugh would leave San Fran for Cleveland? This shouldn't even be a major story.

The major part of the story is that Harbaugh was interested. Cleveland wasn't willing to part with almost their entire draft this year.

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[spursup]

The major part of the story is that Harbaugh was interested. Cleveland wasn't willing to part with almost their entire draft this year.

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Harbaugh said no to the deal.

 

[buckeye]

Harbaugh said no to the deal.

Ah... what I heard on Sirius today was the Brown's called and asked permission to talk with the assistant coaches and Harbaugh told them he had some interest. They must have misreported.

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[spursup]

The first post in this thread(from CBS) says Harbaugh didn't let the deal go through. So yes the reporters on the radio must have misreported.

 

[buckeye]

The first post in this thread(from CBS) says Harbaugh didn't let the deal go through. So yes the reporters on the radio must have misreported.

I kinda wondered about that. He wouldn't look very good putting himself on the market like that.

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[EmpireWF]

Apparently, there's beef between SF's GM and Harbaugh which led to the talks with Cleveland.