THINGS I HEAR....

1.     I hear that if the Jets let Brian Schottenheimer out of his contract, there would be a few teams interested in hiring him for their offensive coordinator position. 

                                      

2.     I hear that Hue Jackson, the Ravens’ quarterbacks coach, will draw interest from teams looking for an offensive coordinator if any jobs remain open after the Ravens’ season ends.   

3.     I hear the United Football League has four owners lined up and is still working on getting two more.  Michael Huyghue, the commissioner of the league, will be at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., to sell coaches and personnel people on the venture. 

THINGS I KNOW....

1.     I know the Lions hired a great young coach in Jim Schwartz, who is someone I believe will do a wonderful job.  We hired him in Cleveland in 1992 to work with me in the personnel department.  He is extremely smart (third in his class at Georgetown in economics) and hard working. He knows how to build a program, and he understands the Bill Belichick approach as well as anyone.  Given enough time, he will restore the roar to the Lions. 

2.     I know that if new GM Scott Pioli fires Herman “Let’s Build Something Together” Edwards, he will look to Steve Spagnuolo as the primary candidate for the head coaching post.

3.     I know the Browns are talking to USC quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, a former Jags and Saints coordinator, and have offered him a similar post with the Browns. 

4.     I know that after doing my “Inside the NFL” segment on Showtime last night about Michael Vick and his potential return to the NFL, I received three calls today from teams asking about his pending release.  It will be a topic for discussion until he is released in July. 

5.     I know that having many free agents on a team makes it a tough off-season, but it does help improve the play of the team.  The Cards and the Ravens each have five starters who become free agents in March.  Playing for a new contract is the best motivator.