Having this much cap space for the new GM and the fact that Herm is possibly still here. This may have been planned minus losing 14 games.

Good theory but gosh I hope not. I really hope our owner isn’t willing to tank a season like that. That would be one of the worst things he could do.

Herm gets more sympathy for “stepping into a bad situation” than he should. Professionally, it’s incumbent upon you to do your due diligence to know what you’re getting yourself into. Herm knew or at least he should have know what he was getting himself into (at least to a very large extent).

Another point that I’d like to make regarding Herm is that I think him coming out and saying “we’ve known that Carl was going to be let go for some time” (I’m paraphrasing) is very unprofessional. He never should have said that, but more importantly, that should never have been the case and hopefully it wasn’t. That would reflect poorly on Hunt.

where a HC of a team gets relieved of his duties and takes another (lesser) position in the org. the immediate following year.
When Gun was let go, he went to the Titans as the Def. Coordinator than came back (just as an example). Mike Martz comes to mind as well as others have moved on after HC gigs.
I don’t see it happening. I think Herm gets a gig with Lovie Smith. It’s a Defense minded team that he’d fit into with his DB skills as a coach.

We’ll see. If it does happen and he accepts, it’ll be a first that I can think of.

That’s not just because it’s Herm, but you generally don’t see head coaches sticking around an organization after they’re fired. It has the potential to split the team and undermine the new head coach.

I also don’t see him getting a personnel job here. Herm seemed to have an eye for DBs, but his ability to judge talent everywhere else was extremely questionable.

I think that’s a great theory. I thinnk it’s more likely that Pioli and Hunt will make that offer than it is that Herm would accept. But even if he doesn’t accept they get something out of it. And who knows, Herm might accept, but I’d only give that 5 or 10% chance. On a similar note, Clayton thought it would have been a good idea for Mangini to bring back Crennell next year as def. coord. It didn’t happen but at least it was deemed as possible by a top analyst.

And leave him in the same department, it ruins credibility. Thats Management 101. Maybe as a scout – maybe.

For unorthodox, I’ve speculated this: Pioli wants a HC from the college ranks, but knows that seldom works directly, so he wants to sound out Herm as a possible transition HC, breaking the candidate in as a Coordinator and ‘assistant’ HC (read: apprentice) for 09. Implicit in that arrangement is a shake-up throughout the coaching staff, with a number of coaches are brought in who will work well with the new HC.

I know the people who are more devoted to firing Herm than the Chiefs will automatically hate that idea, but it has some merit. Herm, for all his faults (IMO) sees himself as a Teacher, and a Good Soldier. I’m pretty sure he’d accept that is his year to groom his replacement, and even an 1-year extension, should that prove necessary. He’d just about do it for free, just for the chance to avoid being fired after a 2-14 season… ;-)

I can’t see Chan taking the same lame-duck job, unless Herm’s fired during the season in 09 – which I am pretty sure /everyone/ wants to avoid.

But the above hunk of fiction is a far better idea than to hire a college guy with no NFL coaching experience, and expect success.