Another One Bites The Dust: Holmgren Fires Two More Officials

It looks like Josh Cribbs just might get that second offer he was looking for.

Cleveland.com reported that the team has given the axe to two high ranking officials inside the organization this evening.

These officials are former President Mike Keenan, and the hard-nosed contract negotiator and vice president of football operations Dawn Aponte. According to people inside the organization, Aponte was the person who offered Cribbs $1.4 million a year and told him it was a take it or leave it offer.

What exactly does the firing of these two officials mean for the Cleveland Browns organization?

The first thing is that Randy Lerner has recognized that he messed up in letting Eric Mangini assemble a front office. Sometimes it is just a good idea to let the coach handle the football decisions, not the front office decisions. The second thing this means is that Mike Holmgren has realized the importance in having a contract negotiator that can WORK with the players. 

Leverage is always great in negotiations, which is what Aponte was using when she told Cribbs to take it or leave it. However, the fact is that Holmgren realizes how important Cribbs, and many other players who will seek new contracts are to the team. Thus, he wishes to install the correct personnel to work with them.

The final thing this means is that the Cleveland Browns are finally on their way to becoming a stable organization with a common goal. This team, since it’s reincarnation in 1999, has had staff members going different directions, personnel not following the same goal, and too much instability to allow a team to succeed. 

Now with the appointments that Holmgren has made, and the final ax being dropped on Keenan and Aponte: the Cleveland Browns organization is finally moving in the right direction