The plan was for Art Shell to guide the team he loved, his team, through a difficult time in a surprise return to head coaching, then move into the front office.
Shell would be helping the Oakland Raiders and owner Al Davis, those people who are close to him, and the Raiders would allow Shell to end his working life with the team he played for as a Hall of Fame offensive lineman. It was a perfect plan.
That was last February. Eleven months later, the plan was suddenly scuttled after yet another terrible season, 2-14. In a meeting with Davis last week, Shell’s second go-round with the Raiders ended. There will be no second season. There will be no front-office job. There will be no future between Shell and the Raiders.
That bothers Shell’s longtime agent and friend Danny More, who was in the meeting.
“It was a disappointing ending,” More said. “Art was a great Raider and he took that job when no one else wanted it last year. Art Shell didn’t let down the Raiders. The Raiders let down Art Shell.”
More said the most discouraging thing was the lack of direction and help within the organization beyond Shell’s assistant coaching staff. The Raiders have won a league-low 15 games in the past four seasons and More said the organization is in disarray, even though Davis is “still sharp as ever.”
“The Raiders want to bring back that Raider winning aura, but no one would ever come in and ask Art, ‘Coach, what can I do today to help us win?”‘ More said.
It was shocking to More that his client was pushed aside after one season after serving for years as an executive in the NFL office.
“Art had a great job, it’s not like he was on the streets dying to get back into coaching,” More said. “It’s unfortunate for the Raiders to treat one of their beloved players like that. It’s just very disappointing.”
More said Shell has several business plans in the works and will consider working as an assistant coach elsewhere in the league.
Contract talks
Denver: The Broncos and head coach Mike Shanahan are expected to talk about an extension in the coming months. The two sides talked in November and decided to wait until after the season to discuss the matter.
The delay simply is a matter of timing. The Broncos have been busy since the end of the season dealing with the murder of cornerback Darrent Williams, then with changes on the coaching staff. Shanahan has two years remaining on his contract, but the Broncos would like to lock him in for several more as the team enters the meat of the Jay Cutler era.
Meanwhile, the Broncos might look for a top pass rusher in the draft, but the team is not unhappy with its defensive line. Rookie Elvis Dumervil, who had 8 1/2 sacks, will get more playing time, and Courtney Brown may return. Of Denver’s 36 sacks, 33 came from the defensive front. That’s solid production.
Denver instead might try to find a top running back in the draft. The Broncos have the No. 21 pick, but could explore trading up, as they did last year.
Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson could be a great fit in Denver if he comes out early.
RB top priority for Giants
New York Giants: Don’t be surprised if the Giants trade up in the first round to try to snare Peterson. With Tiki Barber retired, the Giants need a primary back. Barber’s backup, Brandon Jacobs, is a huge, change-of-pace back, but he can’t be the primary guy.
The Giants will need someone to take over for Barber. Peterson would be an excellent fit in New York. With quarterback Eli Manning still struggling to find his way, it’s vital the Giants have a reliable run attack.
Tennessee: Running back Chris Brown is sure to leave the Titans as a free agent. He asked to be traded in the preseason. With Travis Henry and LenDale White in Tennessee, Brown, the former Colorado standout, appears to be the odd man out. He ran the ball only 41 times in 2006.
Brown, 25, was an effective rusher in the previous two seasons and could get some looks. The big, rugged back is perfect for a zone blocking team. The Broncos are among the teams that could look at Brown. His agent mentioned the Broncos as an ideal fit in the preseason, but Denver didn’t bite. Wherever Brown ends up, it’ll likely be a short-term deal.
Haslett may get another look
Around the league: A dark horse to get some coaching looks is former New Orleans coach Jim Haslett, now the defensive coordinator in St. Louis. If Haslett doesn’t get called this offseason, he likely will get another chance to be a head coach in 2008 if the Rams’ defense has a strong season. … Watch for new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino to rely heavily on Mike Zimmer as his defensive coordinator. A longtime NFL veteran, Zimmer can give Petrino, a newcomer to the NFL, a comfort zone on the side of the ball where he lacks expertise. The word is Petrino only agreed to leave Louisville and become the Falcons’ coach after friends in the league told him of the reliable and well-respected reputation of Falcons owner Arthur Blank. … Look for San Francisco to be big spenders in free agency. The team is swimming in salary cap room. The 49ers finished 7-9 and believe they can make a big run in 2007. One free agent the 49ers likely will pursue is Baltimore linebacker Adalius Thomas. … The Broncos will need to tweak a veteran contract or two, but they will be in solid cap shape come free agency. … Tony Gonzalez has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs to keep him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. … It is almost a sure thing that Washington will cut safety Adam Archuleta, who was nearly invisible by the end of the season after signing a lucrative deal to leave St. Louis last spring. … If the Steelers don’t pull the trigger and promote offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, expect him to get a chance to be a head coach elsewhere.
The Team of the Decayed
Raiders owner Al Davis fired Hall of Fame player Art Shell after one season, leaving the team searching for its fourth coach in five years.
Just lose, baby: Since losing to Tampa Bay in the 2003 Super Bowl, the Raiders are 15-49 in four seasons – the worst record in the NFL in that span.
Bad move: Their 2-14 record this season is horrid, but the worst moment of the Raiders’ season might have been when they took Texas safety Michael Huff No. 7 in the draft over quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler. Huff should be solid, but the quarterback-hungry Raiders may forever rue the day they passed up Leinart and Cutler.
What’s next? The Raiders are said to be looking for young offensive minds to fill their coaching vacancy. USC assistant Steve Sarkisian, 32, is a possibility.
Help on the way? The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Perhaps they will try to make up for last year’s quarterback whiff and take LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Extra points
THE HOT SEAT: Marty’s big shot
Who: San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer.
When: Today at home against the New England Patriots in the AFC divisional playoffs.
Why: Schottenheimer is one of the better regular-season coaches in the NFL, but his teams traditionally struggle in the postseason. The Chargers are widely regarded as the most dominant team in the league, but there aren’t a whole lot of believers because of the Schottenheimer jinx. Many pundits have a difficult time believing Schottenheimer can lead a team to a Super Bowl win. There will be major doubts until he does it. This appears to be his best chance. The Chargers are loaded and three wins away from winning it all. If they lose, Schottenheimer will be blamed. The Chargers are better than the Patriots, but Bill Belichick is a playoff genius. Schottenheimer is not.
ROOKIE WATCH: A return(er) to glory
Who: Chicago Bears returner Devin Hester.
When: Today at home against the Seattle Seahawks.
Why: Hester has been a game-changer for the Bears all season. He returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns. The second-round pick from the University of Miami can give the Bears a major boost in the playoffs. With the Chicago offense uneven, especially with the poor play of quarterback Rex Grossman, and with the Bears’ defense not as strong because of injuries, Hester could give the team an edge in the playoffs. He has been dynamic. The player the Broncos liked in the second round will be watched closely until the season is over.
AT ISSUE: Vick gets another shot at greatness
What: The Atlanta Falcons’ attempt to make Michael Vick a star.
Background: The Falcons showed their commitment to their quarterback by hiring Louisville coach Bobby Petrino as head coach. Petrino, a former Jacksonville offensive coordinator who was highly sought by NFL teams in recent seasons, has been compared to Denver coach Mike Shanahan. His Louisville teams were offensive machines. Petrino took over for the defensive-minded Jim Mora. The selection of Petrino shows that the Falcons realize they must be offensive-minded, especially with Vick, a talented underachiever.
Williamson’s take: If Vick fails under Petrino, the Falcons and the NFL will know he will never be a complete player. Vick has a place in the league because of his running ability, but he has a long way to go as a passer. The Falcons are giving their quarterback a chance. Now it’s up to him.
Staff writer Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
