The Washington Redskins fired vice president of player personnel John Schneider on Tuesday, the first move of what figures to be a substantial overhaul of the team's personnel department under new coach Steve Spurrier and owner Daniel
Snyder.
Schneider, the hand-picked choice of deposed head coach Marty Schottenheimer to oversee
all of the team's personnel functions, served just one year on his
three-year contract. Schneider cleaned out his office on Tuesday and
departed Redskins Park.
Still uncertain is fate of college scouting director
Scott Campbell, who continues to coordinate the evaluation of draft
prospects.
The team also fired director of football administration Russ Ball, who
handled many of the detail-oriented aspects of the operation such as waiver
rules and some contract negotiations and salary cap issues, after one year.
Washington is expected to hire either a general manager or vice president of
personnel, although the process of interviewing candidates for that position
has yet to begin, with the club likely to interview three or four people for
that job. Among the names mentioned are Bill Kuharich, the current
pro personnel player in Kansas City, and longtime personnel chief Ken
Herock, who most recently worked with the Green Bay Packers.
There was a brief conversation between Snyder and Herock earlier this week,
but the owner has not set up formal interviews yet, with most of his efforts
directed toward consummating the Spurrier deal. Herock interviewed last year
for the job Schneider eventually landed.
Snyder flirted over the last two weeks with former Redskins and San Diego
Chargers general manager Bobby Beathard. There were negotiations on a
contract that would have paid him $500,000 annually, but the retired
personnel guru rejected the offer last week.
Despite reports that the
Redskins had spoken to a number of prominent general managers, Beathard was
the only one contacted.
Sources said that Spurrier would like to bring aboard Tampa Bay personnel
director Tim Ruskell, a longtime friend and confidant, but Snyder is
apparently lukewarm to that idea.
As was the case with Schottenheimer, the Redskins owner has the contractual
right to hire either a general manager of a personnel director with general
manager-type duties. It was a disagreement over personnel and management
issues that led to Schottenheimer's dismissal.
Schneider, 30, began his scouting career with the Packers (1992-96), then
moved to Kansas City (1997-99) and Seattle (2000) before taking the Redskins
position.
Ball is a 13-year league veteran. He previously worked for the Vikings
and the Chiefs.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
| |
|
