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Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer looks at first-round pick Kendall Wright and sees a player who reminds him of players from the franchise’s passing glory days.

“I think this guy reminds me of Drew Hill and Ernest Givins that we had back in the run and shoot days in Houston,” Palmer told Nashville media. “He is a guy that can also play outside. He closes the cushion between himself and the defensive back very quickly. The fact that he has the ability with the run after catch, his hands are very good, and I think he is a guy that will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and be more explosive offensively. The fact that he can get down the field, and if you watch the film he has thrown passes and made big game catches. I think this guy is electric and a very explosive player.”

Jeff Fisher and Mike Heimerdinger, his offensive coordinator during much of his tenure with the Titans, were often reluctant to lean on rookie wide receivers.

Palmer emphasized that his offense can create opportunity for a first-year guy, which will be a refreshing change.

“You can go back and look at our record; we had Terry Glenn in New England, as a rookie caught 90 balls,” Palmer said. “We had Kevin Johnson at Syracuse as a receiver first year had eight touchdowns. You had Andre Johnson who had 975 yards his rookie year. So, I think this system allows a rookie to come in and play early. There is enough evidence of that in the history of our coaching to indicate that we’re counting on this guy to come in and play.”

We know Jeff Fisher is in play for Miami and St. Louis. Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz told PFT he believes Fisher is in the mix in Indianapolis too.

Indications are Fisher will listen to everyone. But coaching code says you don’t talk about a job that’s not vacant, so I don’t think he’d go beyond backchannel communication while Jim Caldwell remains in place.

At any rate, Fisher is the hot veteran coaching candidate and until he’s coach somewhere, he still qualifies foremost as the Titans former head coach and falls under our purview. He said last week in an interview on Nashville’s 104.5 The Zone that a GM and a quarterback were the two biggest factors for him as he explores job opportunities.

So some thoughts on his eventual re-emergence in the coaching ranks.

Power: There can be a misperception he’d want general manager powers. He won’t. He wants to work with a GM he gets along with and can build consensus with. Fisher will want control of his 53-man roster. And he won’t want a situation where a GM is forcing free agents or draft picks on him that he and his staff don’t want. But wanting a voice is a lot different from wanting to be a de facto GM. He believes in the value of a traditional coach-GM split and has no desire to work the scouting end of things as a fulltime GM.

General manager friends: Fisher’s got strong relationships with Rich McKay of the Falcons and Bill Polian, just let go by the Colts, as he served with both on the NFL’s competition committee. McKay’s in an administrative capacity now, but could he want back into football? He wouldn’t come cheaply. Polian is probably too strong a personality. I have no feel for the relationship between Fisher and Chris Polian, who was also let go.

When the Titans replaced Floyd Reese in 2007 it was largely because Fisher and Reese’s relationship had frayed. Among the replacement candidates Fisher helped interview before the Titans hired Mike Reinfeldt were: Ruston Webster (now with Reinfeldt in Tennessee), Reggie McKenzie (Green Bay’s director of football administration), Ron Hill (NFL VP of football operations), Mike Ackerley (now a Texans scout) and Charles Bailey (former Jaguars pesonnel executive). The Titans wanted to talk to Randy Mueller, then with Miami, but didn’t get permission. He’s now with San Diego as “senior executive.”

Maybe Fisher hit it off with one of those guys and would like to work with them. At years of league meetings and functions, he’s likely formed friendships we don’t know about with other, future-GM types.

If Fisher lands in a situation where he comes in hand in hand with a GM or in advance of a GM, he’ll have a guy or two to put forward and be open to forming a new relationship if he hits it off with an existing GM or an owner’s candidate.

Assistants: His primary assistant coaches may be hard to predict.

His top defensive lieutenants from Tennessee are booked up. Gregg Williams is the coordinator in New Orleans and may be a head coaching candidate himself. If he was free, Fisher could pounce. Jim Schwartz is head coach in Detroit. (Brandon Fisher works on Schwartz’s staff.) Chuck Cecil may be radioactive as he was a central figure in things coming apart for Fisher with the Titans. He could return to the league as a defensive backs coach, but Fisher would have to answer for a lot if he wanted to make Cecil coordinator. He’d certainly take recommendations from Williams and Schwartz about up-and-comers from the defensive staffs with their teams. Detroit linebacker coach Matt Burke was a young assistant on Fisher’s staff who went with Schwartz for a promotion.

Fisher’s top offensive friend and long-time coordinator, Mike Heimerdinger, died recently after a battle with cancer. Fisher could look to his former running backs coach Sherman Smith, who’s now in the post with Seattle. But Smith’s lone stint as an offensive coordinator didn’t include play-calling duties under Jim Zorn in Washington. Titans quarterback coach Dowell Loggains is a bright young mind, but like Burke he may not be ready yet.

While Fisher spent time away from the game in a year off, he certainly has lists of coaches he would pursue and could get. But he’d be going with people he’s not worked with before at a lot of spots -- like on the offensive line, where his former position coach, Mike Munchak, and his best line player, Bruce Matthews, are not available.

Markets: He can be a star behind those shades. But don’t think he’ll take the bright lights of Miami over more low-key St. Louis or Indianapolis if he’s choosing.

Fisher enjoyed the ability to be anonymous at times in Nashville and the willingness of the population to allow him a large degree of privacy. He’s a Southern California guy who loves spending time at his Montana cabin.

He's not desperate for a beach, or television lights.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

Derrick Mason’s first NFL practices were in Houston, just before the Oilers moved to Tennessee. Dale Robertson of the Houston Chronicle examines Mason’s return to the city. I’m interested to see how Gary Kubiak thinks Mason can best help, both now and after Andre Johnson returns.

Jacoby Jones’ game against the Raiders was not as bad as it seemed, writes John McClain of the Chronicle. Good tape breakdown here.

Indianapolis Colts

Bob Kravitz of The Star looks at people who have a lot to play for no matter the Colts' record. The Chris Polian angle is appropriately first.

A look at Dwight Freeney’s impressive collection of sacks, which is nearing a total of 100. Usually his best moves are non-sacks, he told Phillips B. Wilson of the Star.

Eighteen things Nate Dunlevy of 18to88 will be looking for in Colts-Bengals.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Cornerback Rashean Mathis leads a weekly meeting of defensive backs that does not include coaches, writes Tania Ganguli of the Times-Union.

Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker talked to Jacksonville media and didn’t really say anything as you can see in this notebook by Vito Stellino of the T-U.

Tennessee Titans

On the day of Mike Heimerdinger's funeral, Mike Shanahan talked to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean about his closest friend.

A private memorial service will be held for former Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger on Oct. 14 in Nashville.

He passed away Friday after a battle with cancer.

His family has established The Mike Heimerdinger Memorial Fund.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to 2020 Fieldstone Parkway, Suite 900-206, Franklin, TN 37069.

The service is for family and close friends.

I picked up on something K.C. Joyner wrote earlier this week about the Titans’ run-blocking for this post, and Joyner reached out to further flesh out his thoughts on Chris Johnson’s struggles.

As we all try to figure out what exactly is wrong with Chris Johnson and the Titans run game, I am interested in any X and O perspective.

Here is more from Joyner, who says part of the issue is the disappearance of the sort of run play the Titans utilized under Mike Heimerdinger, the former Titans offensive coordinator who died Friday after a battle with cancer.

Joyner says one issue is that Heimerdinger inserted counter elements into run plays that don't normally have counter elements.

"For example, Heimerdinger would add a counter action to a sweep, which is something that is very rarely (if ever) done by other NFL teams.

"The current Titans staff has Johnson running much more standard counter plays along with a solid dose of slant running plays. They just don't look to have Heimerdinger's counter action plays in the playbook, or at the very least it looks like they aren't using them. This isn't to say that they cannot add them or that Johnson can't success using other run plays, but using those plays he seemed so comfortable with might help. The problem may be that it takes coordinated O-line play to do that and the Titans, like a large number of NFL teams, do not look to have very coordinated run blocking at the moment. It's probably a residual effect of the lockout and should improve with time.

"Counter plays give a hint of going one direction before going the other. The moment of hesitation they can create is the kind of thing Johnson can typically take advantage of with his speed."

While new offensive coordinator Chris Palmer may be calling more standard run plays, I’m surprised that Hall of Fame offensive linemen Mike Munchak and Bruce Matthews wouldn’t see it if the missing counter-action is contributing to the overall run problems.

Keep an eye out for any change today in Cleveland.

Back at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt gave Jim Wyatt the first nugget about the sort of small personnel trait changes Mike Munchak and his staff may want to see.

They'd look to get sturdier at defensive end, where they wouldn't line their guys up so wide so often.

Munchak said this afternoon that the positional alteration at defensive end won’t be a constant. The team played its ends super wide to the point where “it was almost all we did,” he said. Now they won’t be in wide nine-technique so often, playing closer to, or head up on, the offensive tackle more.

“Back when we went to the Super Bowl when [defensive coordinator] Jerry Gray was here last time, Jevon Kearse played a lot of those seven-techniques and six-techniques and nine-techniques and was successful from all those positions," Munchak said. "We’ll still be in nine-techniques and taking advantage of that in certain down and distances, but I think there will be a little bit more variation than we’ve had.”

Also on the agenda: More size at both defensive tackle, where the focus had become more and more on pass rushing, and at linebacker.

On offense, Munchak turned the conversation to the same place the ball’s going to go: Chris Johnson.

“We have to keep looking at ways to get him the ball,” Munchak said.

Under Jeff Fisher and his offensive coordinator, Mike Heimerdinger, the Titans tended to shy away from screens. The number of moving parts involved, they said, didn’t make the trade off worth it for how much work has to go into being a good screen team.

And while they had screen packages in most game plans, we saw them less and less, to the point of frustration. The primary quarterback, Vince Young, also didn’t throw screens well.

Young’s successor will have the chance to do so.

“Any way we can get [Johnson] the ball, it doesn’t have to be handed to him,” Munchak said. “Hand it to him, pitch it to him, throw it to him -- I think we’ve done a good job of that. He’s made a big impact on the running and passing games. Defenses do a great job of trying to take those passes away.

“We work screens quite a bit; it’s just a matter of getting them called in games. Last year, we were one of the worst teams in time of possession. We have to find ways to stay out there, which allows us to run more plays. And I think you’ll see more plays to Chris where if you need a screen, all it is is a run. You can run those on first down, it doesn’t have to be third down. You can run those on any down. They are something that just gets him going around the edges.”

A look back at pre-draft reviews of a late-round success or an early-round miss in the AFC South.

Paul Williams, former Titans receiver, Fresno State, 2007 third round, 80th overall

Mel Kiper, 12th receiver

“… Williams will have to step it up a notch at the pro level if he’s going to reach his maximum potential. He has a chance if a team can be patient with him, coach him up, and bring him along slowly. In that scenario, he could be competing for a spot as a starter in his second or third year in the NFL. While he’s transitioning at WR, Williams will pay big dividends with his outstanding performance on special teams. His ability in this area certainly enhances his draft rating.

Pro Football Weekly, 16th wide receiver

“Has everything you desire at the position. Is physically one of the most gifted receivers in the draft and flashed signs of brilliance at the Senior Bowl, but will require a very patient, sympathetic position coach who can improve his confidence.”

NFL Draft Scout: 16th wide receiver

COMPARES TO: Ken Lucas, Carolina – “Williams just does not impress as a wide receiver, as you can plainly see he is not happy on offense. With his previous experience and family bloodlines on defense, he would be better served playing cornerback, but needs to sit down and do a gut-check to see if he has the heart to play the game.”

After four seasons:

Fred Graves was the sort of position coach PFW suggested Williams would need, though Williams had a harsher, less patient coordinator in Mike Heimerdinger.

Williams was cut by the Titans before the start of the 2010 season and finished the season on the Houston Texans’ practice squad.

He didn’t play at all as a rookie, appeared in just five games and made just one catch for the Titans in his second year and was a practice squad guy in Year 3, doing his part to keep the Titans' never-ending search for a quality wideout moving.

Since the Williams miss, the Titans have spent five more picks on wide receivers. It’s always easy to look at a miss and see players behind him who turned out better. In this instance, Arizona got Steve Breaston in the fifth round as the Titans drafted two more non-contributing receivers after Williams in Chris Davis (fourth round) and Joel Filani (sixth).

The AFC South is stacked at tight end, at least along the frontlines: Dallas Clark, Owen Daniels and Marcedes Lewis give the Colts, Texans and Jaguars, respectively, a top-flight player at the position.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. sorts out the position in the division in this Insider piece.

What I found most interesting was what he had to say about the team he currently ranks fourth at the position.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the Titans could top this list one year from now. That is how much ability Jared Cook has. But for now, I have to put them firmly at the end, considering how strong this position is in the AFC South. At this stage of his development, Cook is purely a receiver. But he has rare abilities for a tight end. Comparing him physically to Jermichael Finley is probably unfair, but Cook isn't too far off that steep comparison. His movement skills are superb.

Add that to the rave reviews about Cook’s potential, which have piled high. I called Cook the Titans' X factor heading into last year, but former coach Jeff Fisher and former offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger still didn’t trust him enough to use him a lot.

Still, his 12.4-yard average on 29 catches was a touch better than Reggie Wayne’s average in Indianapolis and second best to any regularly featured tight end in the division to Houston’s Joel Dreessen.

Even so, that second-year jump for a player Tennessee traded up to draft in the second round in 2009 wasn’t what it should have been.

Now optimists are mentioning Cook as the third piece of a trio new coordinator Chris Palmer can build around, a group that starts with running back Chris Johnson and receiver Kenny Britt.

I hope Cook’s focused while he can’t work with the team and that he ultimately proves the weapon people in team headquarters believe he can be.

Year 3 is time. Bo Scaife is likely to be gone, and whoever the new quarterbacks are will be urged to look for Cook. When things finally get off the ground, we’ll still be asking: Will he be in the right places?

Immediate questions reacting to the news that the Titans have hired Chris Palmer as their new offensive coordinator:

• Last year he was head coach of the Hartford Colonials in the United Football League. Cue the punch lines.
• He’s yet another Oiler being recycled, having served as an assistant from 1990-92.
• He’s best known, fair or not, for his failures as the first coach of the reincarnation of the Cleveland Browns, where he worked with quarterback Tim Couch.
• He worked with Eli Manning as Giants quarterback coach, helping New York win a Super Bowl.
• He’s also worked with Tony Romo and Drew Bledsoe. But beyond Manning, his two biggest projects were David Carr and Couch, and neither panned out into much.
• He’s 61, when young offensive minds are the trend for much of the league.
• Is he for sure a better guy going forward than Mike Heimerdinger? I'm quite skeptical.

“I was able to talk to a number of candidates and Chris was the coach who fit what I was looking for,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said in a news release. “Chris has a wealth of experience as a coordinator and a coach. He is a great teacher of the game and has been around a variety of good coaches and winning football programs. He has helped develop many quarterbacks and understands what that process is like, as he raised their games to a high level over time.”

Munchak’s set to introduce defensive coordinator Jerry Gray in a little more than an hour. When we talk offensive coordinator, my primary question will be who were the other candidates?

We’ll have to wait to judge Palmer, as I suggested earlier Tuesday in a post about whoever the offensive coordinator would be. But this move isn’t getting me, or many people in Nashville, excited.

“I have known Mike as a player and a coach for 21 years,” Palmer said in the announcement. “He was an outstanding player and is a terrific coach. Mike and I have had some really good conversations and meetings and I am excited to be joining the staff. Offensively, I am very impressed with the personnel they already have in place, but it doesn’t matter what level you are talking about -- high school, college, pro -- you are only going to be as good as your quarterback and that will be something we work on. I also believe in running the football and the Titans have historically done such a good job of that, whether it was Eddie George or Chris Johnson. Running it creates opportunities in the play-action game and helps the quarterback.”

Mike Munchak’s made his first big decision as Titans coach. According to Jim Wyatt, Munchak will have a new offensive coordinator. He’s fired Mike Heimerdinger.

“Mike is going to do what is best for Titans," Heimerdinger told Wyatt. "I know it is part of the business ... I appreciate my time here. Every head coach has to make their decisions and this was his."

Too many people are marveling that one of the team’s four candidate for Jeff Fisher’s old job is now out of work. But once Munchak was hired, he was not asked to line up with the existing one-year contracts for assistant coaches.

Executive vice president Steve Underwood and general manager Mike Reinfeldt viewed Heimerdinger as a potential head coach. That’s a separate deal from Munchak keeping Heimerdinger as his offensive coordinator.

I think Heimerdinger is an excellent coach who had a bad year, failing to do enough to get Chris Johnson opportunities in space in the passing game and unable to get his middling quarterbacks to force the ball to Randy Moss after the team acquired him on waivers.

Heimerdinger handled his fight against cancer that began during the season with absolute grace: showing football coach stoicism and missing virtually no time with the team.

What’s next for him? It’s hard to guess considering most staffs around the league are filled.

Who’s in line to replace him? Munchak emphasized that he wants a staff filled with teachers, and odds are the new guy will be grooming a draft pick while overseeing a veteran newcomer.

Whoever he is, he’ll now have at least a small voice in selecting who those quarterbacks are.

Wyatt also says the Titans will interview Bruce Matthews for the offensive line job. Matthews had a two year offer from the Texans to remain as an assistant offensive line coach, but has not signed it, Wyatt reports.

UPDATE (3:15 p.m.): The team sent out an official announcement that Heimerdinger, offensive assistant Richie Wessman and defensive assistant Rayna Stewart will not be retained.

Munchak on Heimerdinger: "I have a great deal of respect for him as a person and admiration for the way he is fighting against cancer. He is an innovative offensive mind and we have worked well through the years, but I believe we need to go in a different direction at offensive coordinator. This wasn’t about his health -- he is feeling good -- it is a change of direction for us. This is not something that I take lightly and I wish him and his family the best.”

Reading the coverage…

Mike Munchak is ready to make the Titans his team, writes John Glennon.

Jeff Fisher said Munchak will do well, says Jim Wyatt.

Munchak has an opportunity to break with the past, says David Climer.

A blue-collar work ethic drove Munchak as a player, says Larry Taft.

Munchak has a lot of questions left to answer, says Joe Biddle.

Bruce Matthews, Jerry Gray and Ray Sherman are all possibilities for Munchak’s staff, says Wyatt.

While Munchak was vague on Mike Heimerdinger, the incumbent offensive coordinator said he’d be happy to work under the new boss, says John Glennon.

Munchak wants no excuses, no whining from the Titans, says David Boclair.

The story from Munchak’s hometown paper, by Tom Robinson.

We’ll learn more about Mike Munchak's plans as Titans head coach soon. But one automatic conclusion many are drawing is that he will look to hire his closest friend and fellow Hall of Famer to replace him as offensive line coach.

Maybe he will want Bruce Matthews, but that doesn’t mean Munchak can get him.

Matthews recently signed a new two-year contract to remain in his post as assistant offensive line coach in Houston. The Texans would not be obligated to grant permission for him to talk to Tennessee. Many remember a rule that mandated assistants be allowed to interview for jobs that qualified as promotions. That is no longer in place. The only post teams have to allow an assistant to interview for is a head-coaching job.

The Texans certainly don’t want to prevent a guy who’s worked hard for them and been a good influence on their players from climbing the ladder. But letting him go to coach the offensive line with one of Houston's division rivals would be difficult.

We’ll have to wait and see, but I wouldn’t write in Matthews' name on the open offensive line coach slot.

Munchak inherits a staff of 13, but executives said the new coach would be allowed to assemble his own staff. In addition to offensive line, there are vacancies at defensive coordinator, defensive line, running backs coach and receivers coach.

Another question: Will offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, who was passed over for the top job in favor of someone who ranked below him, be asked to remain?

He was the favorite the day Jeff Fisher and the Titans parted ways. According to The Tennessean, long-time offensive line coach Mike Munchak held on to the top slot and could be named head coach as early as Monday.

Nashville’s been abuzz about the coaching search since the Titans and Fisher decided a lame-duck season was too complicated going forward and reached a settlement.

The team interviewed only four candidates: Munchak, offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.

Was that a deep enough pool for the team to give itself a chance to find the best coach? Or was it the minimum it could get away with in an attempt to appear to be taking a broad look while intending to go with Munchak?

I think there is a difference between having a leader going into interviews and being set on who your next coach will be as you start the process.

I wish they looked at more candidates. The team’s senior executive vice president, Steve Underwood, and general manager Mike Reinfeldt are a deliberate duo. Their timetable and determination in this search appears different than their MO, and certainly came at the behest of owner Bud Adams, who’s long been a Munchak admirer.

What kind of coach will Munchak be?

We’ll learn a lot more when he’s introduced. But we know he’s a thoughtful, focused, quietly intense and very smart guy. Like any new coach, he deserves a chance to make his changes and put his program in place.

It’s inevitable that fans will jump to conclusions. I’ll urge patience as we watch how he operates.

It’ll start with staff decisions. He'll inherit 13 assistants under contract, and most believe that Munchak will keep most of them. I think that’s presumptuous, and I suspect he will make more changes than many expect.

The Titans are broadening their pool of coaching candidates.

Chris Mortensen reports one-time Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will interview on Friday and that the Titans have been granted permission to talk with Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.

Look, it’s a parade of former Buffalo Bills’ head coaches!

Both will fare far better in their second stints as head coaches if and when those chances arrive.

Williams would return the franchise to the sort of super-aggressive defense it played back when it made a run to the 1999 Super Bowl and posted the league’s best record in 2000. He spent 11 years with the organization.

His son Blake, an assistant with the Saints, could become an issue for the Titans if Williams is determined to bring him along. The team has a long-standing rule against hiring the children of employees in supervisory roles. Adams can make an exception, but did not two years ago when Williams was in play for the defensive coordinator job.

Mularkey has a good history with young quarterbacks and helped Matt Ryan make an instant impact once the Falcons spent their top pick on him in 2008.

Bud Adams recently used the number five in talking about coaching candidates with Jim Wyatt. Too many people have pounced on the numerical memory of the 88-year old owner as gospel.

Two members of Jeff Fisher’s staff, Mike Munchak and Mike Heimerdinger, have already interviewed and a third, Dave McGinnis could be interviewing today.

Those two plus Williams and Mularkey would make five, and unless Adams wants to pay a hefty fine, the team will still need to speak to a minority to address the Rooney Rule.

Schefter tweeted early this week that Mortensen reported that Ray Sherman will fill that interview slot. The most recent indications, however, still say Sherman has still not been contacted.

I don't believe the Titans would be wasting the time of veteran coaches like Williams and Mularkey if Munchak's hiring is as as mush a certaintly as we've been hearing. And I don't think either would travel to Nashville if he did not think he had a legitimate chance at the post.

The Titans are announcing interviews at the end of the day on which they are conducted.

UPDATE: 4:42 pm: Several sources now say Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has been given permission to talk to the Titans. The Titans will meet the Rooney Rule requirement by interviewing him.

Like Williams and Mularkey, Fewell has served as head coach of the Bills -- he coached seven games in 2009 after Dick Jauron was fired.

UPDATE II: 5:25 pm: Schefter now says Gregg Williams has withdrawn. Jim Wyatt said it's unclear if, while the Titans received permission to talk to him, Williams ever agreed to an interview.

I reached Williams around 6:15 and he said: "Yes, I withdrew. The timing is just not right. I love the organization, I love the city of Nashville."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans will take their time and they will be thorough in searching for Jeff Fisher’s replacement.

But incumbent offensive line coach Mike Munchak’s candidacy has one major thing going for it.

Regarded as the top in-house candidate, Munchak’s been an assistant with the Oilers/Titans since 1994. The Pro Football Hall of Famer has strong relationships with the staff, and he’s one of 14 remaining assistants from Fisher’s staff who is under contract.

Bud Adams hates to pay people who are no longer working for him. But he’s paying Jeff Fisher $4 million and paying former defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil an unknown amount for the 2010 season.

The Titans will also be paying those assistants -- whether those coaches remain in Nashville or not.

But the new coach will have the discretion to choose who to keep.

Munchak -- or offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger or linebacker coach Dave McGinnis, also likely candidates -- would be more apt to retain holdovers.

And that would save Adams money at a time when he could lose revenue because of a lockout. He’d rather pay one coach per position than two, and an outsider is more likely to want to infuse the staff with his own people.

Fisher didn’t offer an endorsement of Munchak when asked, leaning on his regular stance of not getting into hypotheticals.

Instead, he encouraged confidence in the two men with whom he could not move forward, the team’s top Nashville official, Steve Underwood, and GM Mike Reinfeldt.

“You should have all the confidence in the world in Mike and Steve and the decisions they make going forward,” Fisher said. “That allowed me to be successful here, the confidence they had in me and vice versa.”

Munchak is an Adams favorite. He's dealt with him as a player and as an assistant. He’s made the owner proud by gaining football immortality with a bronze bust in Canton and a yellow jacket. He’s reasonable and measured, and while I think it would take time for him to become comfortable as the face of the franchise, he could surely work well with Reinfeldt to achieve the sort of consensus the team wants to have key the center of its operation.

I looked at the three current assistants on Thursday, here.

To me, it’s still wise to be thorough and allow for the possibility that you encounter the next Mike Tomlin.

But if you follow the money, it says place your early bets on Munchak.