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Jim Harbaugh - C - 49ers

"Multiple league sources" tell Profootballtalk the Browns nearly acquired 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh in a trade before hiring Mike Pettine to replace Rob Chudzinski.

That would qualify as a bombshell. Per PFT, a deal that would have sent "multiple" draft picks to San Francisco was "in place" before Harbaugh decided he wanted to remain with the 49ers. If true, it would be a sign that tension between Harbaugh and GM Trent Baalke is worse than previously reported, and that extension talks have been going far from smoothly. Of course, Cleveland's interest could have been the impetus for the sides to get serious about reaching a new deal. PFT reported last week that the 49ers are hoping to extend Harbs' deal this offseason. He's currently signed through 2015. It's a fittingly-bizarre capper to the Browns' magical mystery tour of a coaching search.
Source: Profootballtalk on NBCSports.com
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... -harbaugh/

I wonder if Cleveland offered to start him at quarterback.

That would have been insane.

What the?

Has that happened before? Is that even...legal?

Funkytown wrote:What the?

Has that happened before? Is that even...legal?

Per the article: Jon Gruden was traded from the Raiders to the Buccaneers a dozen years ago.

dead_poet wrote: Per the article: Jon Gruden was traded from the Raiders to the Buccaneers a dozen years ago.

Hmm. Never knew that. Thanks!

I think Belichick was traded to New England also.

dead_poet wrote:I wonder if Cleveland offered to start him at quarterback.

BADA-BOOM!

What a strange story...

Then again, it's not without precedent.

frosted21 wrote:I think Belichick was traded to New England also.

I forgot about that but you're right. The Pats traded the #16 pick in the draft to the Jets and the teams exchanged some later round picks in the deal too.

Mothman wrote:
I forgot about that but you're right. The Pats traded the #16 pick in the draft to the Jets and the teams exchanged some later round picks in the deal too.

Parcells too, if I'm not mistaken. But both of these deals were essentially ordered by Tagliabue, as "compensation" for essentially breach of contract.

I wonder if this talk was going on before Chudzinski was fired. Maybe the Browns thought they had Harbaugh locked up and decided to let Chudz go. It makes a little more sense than firing the guy after just one year. In either case, the way it was handled seemed to help the Vikings out a lot snagging Turner.

Probably fastest way to turn that franchise around. Guy knows his QBs and obviously knows how to coach. Even if he is an arrogant ####.

Um.... If the Browns "almost" traded for Jim Harbaugh, doesn't that also mean that the 49ers almost traded him away?

Where's that side of the story?

Eli wrote:Um.... If the Browns "almost" traded for Jim Harbaugh, doesn't that also mean that the 49ers almost traded him away?

Where's that side of the story?

That side is denying it, saying the reports are false and ridiculous.