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The Kansas City Chiefs have signed safety DeQuan Menzie. He was a fifth-round pick. The Chiefs have six of their eight draft picks signed.

The Chiefs also announced they signed free agents, defensive back Dominique Ellis, tight end Martin Rucker, offensive lineman Rich Ranglin and linebacker Leon Williams. Rucker and Williams are former draft picks of the Browns when current Chiefs’ coach Romeo Crennel was the coach in Cleveland.

In other AFC West notes:

— Video has emerged from the incident that led to the arrest of Oakland middle linebacker Rolando McClain in his hometown in Alabama last fall. McClain will go to trial in the case Thursday.

— Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer helps explains why Terrell Owens worked out with Palmer and some Oakland receivers this offseason. That doesn’t mean Owens is coming to Oakland’s crowded receiver’s room.

— As expected, Denver kicker Matt Prater is not participating in the team’s OTAs. He has not signed his franchise tag, so missing OTAs is normal procedure.

— In a radio interview, Oakland safety Tyvon Branch said he is not focusing on getting a long-term deal, even though he’d like on. Branch recently signed his franchise tender and he has rejoined the team.

— The home of former San Diego star linebacker Junior Seau was burglarized five days after Seau committed suicide.

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly signed second-round pick guard Jeff Allen. He would be the fifth of eight Kansas City picks to sign. Allen will likely be a key backup this season.

Tight end Martin Rucker said he has signed with the Chiefs. He tried out for the team last weekend. He was a draft pick in Cleveland four years ago when the Browns were coached by current Chiefs’ coach Romeo Crennel.

John Elway explained to Broncos’ fans why he took Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler in the second round of the April draft.

With word that the Cleveland Browns will try to trade quarterback Colt McCoy, I’ve been asked often if he will fit in the AFC West. Oakland is the only team in the division without a true backup at that position. If the Oakland Raiders want to bring in McCoy, fine, built I don’t think it is pressing and I’m not a big McCoy fan, so I don’t think it should be a priority. There is a report that says McCoy could be sent to Green Bay.

In other AFC West news:

ESPN’s Ed Werder reported the Cowboys could listen to offers for cornerback Mike Jenkins. I think he could be a good fit for Oakland and he is fairly inexpensive. It may be worth a call for the Raiders.

Please check out our draft tracker. It has analysis and video of each pick and offers nice insight into new Chief Dontari Poe and new Charger Melvin Ingram.

The Buffalo Bills, owners of the 10th pick in Thursday's first round of the NFL draft, are reportedly high on Alabama safety Mark Barron. There has been rampant talk that the Chargers would like to trade up to get Barron.

San Diego has the No. 18 pick. It previously appeared that the Chargers would have to get to the No. 12 range to get Barron; perhaps they will have to climb higher. If the Chargers want to jump ahead of Buffalo to grab Barron, they might have to part with that No. 18 pick, the No. 49 pick and a late-rounder.

We might soon see exactly how much the Chargers covet Barron.

In other AFC West news:

NFL Network reported that the Giants could potentially part with pass-rusher Osi Umenyiora for a third-round pick this week. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but if I think the Chargers should consider it.

Oakland’s first pick in the draft is No. 95. The last team to have its first pick past that selection is Cleveland in 2008. Its first pick was No. 104.

Kansas City tight end Tony Moeaki reiterated Tuesday that he expects to be back for training camp. He suffered a torn ACL last September.

Random thoughts on Brady Quinn signing with Kansas City:

This seals it. Matt Cassel is the Chiefs’ quarterback for 2012. The team said he will have competition. Quinn is strictly a backup.

Unless the Chiefs pull a stunner and draft a quarterback in the first round (Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill would be the likely target at No. 11 in that case), Cassel will be the starter. That doesn’t mean Kansas City won’t draft someone like Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden or Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins in the second round.

As far as backups go, Quinn is solid. I’d rather see Kyle Orton stay, but he ended up in Dallas as a backup. Orton clearly didn’t want’ to stick around.

Quinn’s transition to Kansas City will not be difficult. He was drafted by Kansas City head coach Romeo Crennel in Cleveland in 2007 and he played one season for new Kansas City offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in Cleveland. Clearly, Crennel and Daboll think highly of Quinn.

The Quinn signing means the Chiefs are not comfortable yet with second-year player Ricky Stanzi taking the next step and becoming the No. 2 quarterback. He will likely be the No. 3 quarterback again. Stanzi needs to make big strides this year.

Quinn and Peyton Hillis are united. Denver traded Hillis to Cleveland for Quinn two years ago. Hillis signed with the Chiefs last week.

Quinn’s departure leaves a hole in Denver. The only quarterback Denver is currently concerning itself with is Peyton Manning. Once that situation is resolved, the Broncos will have to figure out their backup situation.

When discussing possible quarterback additions at the NFL combine last month, Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel was reminded that one of his former quarterbacks, Brady Quinn, was a free agent.

Crennel chuckled and said, “Is that right?”

It was a hint that Quinn, who spent the past two seasons with Denver, could be on the Chiefs’ radar. According to FoxSports.com's Alex Marvez, Crennel is, indeed, interested in reuniting with Quinn. He reports Quinn will visit with the Chiefs. Crennel was the coach of the Browns when they traded up to take Quinn in the first round of the 2007 draft. New Kansas City offensive coordinator Brian Daboll also worked with Quinn in Cleveland.

In another connection, Quinn was traded from the Browns to Denver two years ago in a package for running back Peyton Hillis. Hillis signed with the Chiefs on Wednesday.

Quinn would be the backup to Matt Cassel in Kansas City and Ricky Stanzi, a fifth-round pick last year, would remain the No. 3 quarterback.

UPDATE: The Denver Post is reporting that Quinn’s visit in Kansas City is being held Saturday.

The Broncos’ first foray into free agency wasn’t the big hit they were waiting for, but it does fill a hole in Denver.

The Broncos agreed to a two-year deal with Cleveland safety Mike Adams, who fills Denver’s need for a veteran safety.

Adams has a chance to start for Denver. He played 77 percent of the defensive snaps for the Browns last season. With Brian Dawkins likely not returning -- Denver isn't expected to bring him back if he doesn’t retire -- Adams gives the Broncos much-needed experience at safety.

The team drafted Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter last season. Moore began the season as a starter, but he regressed. By the end of the season, Carter was by far the better player. The team still has hopes for Moore, but Adams offers insurance if either youngster struggles.

In other AFC West safety news:

Steve Gregory, formerly of San Diego, agreed to terms with New England. Gregory was an injury replacement for Bob Sanders last year. Gregory is probably a bit underrated, and his departure will have the Chargers looking for a partner for Eric Weddle early in the upcoming NFL draft.

Alabama’s Mark Barron and Notre Dame’s Harrison Smith are possibilities for the Chargers in the draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs are giving Peyton Hillis one season to prove he is more like the 2010 version, who excelled under Brian Daboll, and not the 2011 version who struggled with several issues.

In an attempt to bolster their potentially dangerous offense, Kansas City brought the powerful running back -- who spent his first two NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos -- back to his AFC West roots. Hillis, who was traded from Denver to the Cleveland Browns in a deal for quarterback Brady Quinn two years ago, signed a one-year deal worth $3 million with Kansas City.

Under new offensive coordinator Dabol in 2010 Hillis ran for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. Hillis will be a complementary back to Jamaal Charles, who is expected to be back after tearing an ACL in Week 2, and provides insurance if Charles is not 100 percent by the start of the season. The Chiefs are also still visiting with San Diego Chargers free agent Mike Tolbert and there is a chance Tolbert could be added to the backfield as well.

The Chiefs are a ground-based team and Hillis is a good fit. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. loves the addition in Kansas City.

“Hillis runs with extreme aggression and also catches the ball much better than many realize since he is a big power," Williamson said. "I worry about his durability, but with Charles, he should be the complementary piece.”

Last season without Daboll, Hillis struggled in several areas. He had just 587 yards and averaged 3.6 yards a carry during a year where he graced the cover of the Madden video game.

It was a strange season for Hillis. He was questioned for missing a game when he was ill, there was a reported player’s intervention for him because of his unhappiness over his contract, he went through several agents, and he has denied a report that he thought about quitting football last season to join the CIA.

Because the Chiefs are not committing to Hills for the long term, the team is protected if Hillis does not revert to his 2010 days. I expect Hillis to play very hard as he tries to prove to the Chiefs and to the rest of the league he deserves the long-term deal he has long desired.

Hillis is another interesting component to Kansas City’s offense. An offense featuring Charles, Hills, receivers Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston, Jon Baldwin and tight end Tony Moeaki is powerful. It has the potential to both wear down opponents and to score quickly. The Chiefs are trying to make it even better. They are trying to sign Tolbert and former Houston standout right tackle Eric Winston. Plus, the team is bringing in former Oakland tight end Kevin Boss to pair with Moeaki.

Instead of trying to replace quarterback Matt Cassel, it seems that the Chiefs are bent on giving him as much help as possible. Potential Cassel competitors Jason Campbell, Kyle Orton and Chad Henne have all signed elsewhere.

With a defensive-minded head coach in Romeo Crennel, it is clear the Chiefs believe pumping up the offense is the team’s biggest priority and securing Hillis to a team-friendly deal is a solid start.

The inevitable has happened: Brandon Carr is a former Kansas City Chief.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the cornerback has signed a five-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys worth $50.1 million. There was a lot of talk at the NFL combine last month that Dallas would make a run at Carr.

Carr’s departure from Kansas City was a foregone conclusion when the Chiefs signed former Oakland Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt on Feb. 20. After Routt was signed, the Chiefs said they had interest in retaining Carr, but it didn’t make any financial sense for Kansas City and it didn’t make any sense for Carr.

The Chiefs essentially chose to go with Routt because he was cheaper (he signed a three-year, $18 million deal in Kansas City) and he gave the Chiefs clarity at the position prior to free agency. Routt and Carr are considered comparable players. Both would be the No. 2 cornerback in Kansas City behind Brandon Flowers, who signed a big deal in Kansas City last year. Carr was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in 2008.

In other AFC West news:

Don’t be surprised if the Raiders get in play for former St. Louis cornerback Ron Bartell. He’d be the Raiders' top cornerback. Oakland is desperately trying to get in the cornerback game in free agency now that they finally have some room to maneuver.

The Denver Broncos are visiting with Cleveland Browns veteran safety Mike Adams.

Denver has a visit planned with Miami defensive tackle Paul Soliai. However, the Dolphins are still interested in retaining him.

Kansas City backup running back Jackie Battle has interest from three teams. There is a chance he does not return to Kansas City.

Is Peyton Hillis headed back to the AFC West?

It might just happen. A report out of Cleveland says the Browns’ running back is going to visit the Chiefs. In Kansas City, Hillis would reunite with former Cleveland offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Hillis had 1,177 yards rushing under Daboll’s guidance.

Hillis had 587 yards and averaged 3.6 yards a carry in 2011, in a year he graced the cover of the Madden video game. It was a strange season for Hillis. He was questioned for missing a game when he was ill, there was a reported player’s intervention for him because of his unhappiness over his contract, he went through several agents and he has denied a report that he thought about quitting football last season to join the CIA.

Hillis was a fan favorite as a rookie in Denver in 2008. He played a limited role before being hurt. He was buried by new coach Josh McDaniels and was sent to the Browns for backup quarterback Brady Quinn in 2010.

The fact that Daboll and the Chiefs are bringing him in for a visit shows the Chiefs are comfortable with Hillis.

He would be a nice pairing with Jamaal Charles, who is expected to be the Chiefs’ top back. He suffered a torn ACL in Week 2 last season. With Charles’ speed and Hillis’ power, the Chiefs would likely remain a top running game.

If Hillis signs in Kansas City, they would be out of the Trent Richardson talk. The Chiefs pick at No. 11.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced the hiring of Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator.

Here are my thoughts on the hire when it was first reported. Daboll was the offensive coordinator in Miami in 2011, and he had the same job in Cleveland the two previous years. He worked with Kansas City head coach Romeo Crennel and Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli in New England early last decade.

This is what Crennel had to say about the hire in a statement released by the team: "Brian is a fine football coach and offensive mind. I worked with him when he was a young coach in New England, and I am proud of the way his career has developed. We had a very thorough process for this position, and it was clear to me that Brian was the right choice. He was coveted by multiple teams, and I am glad he will be joining our staff.”

Added Daboll: "This is a great opportunity. After meeting with Romeo, it was clear to me Kansas City was a good fit. I have a lot of respect for Romeo, and a strong appreciation for the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. Romeo and I have similar ideas on the direction of the program, and we have a good core group of players to get started with. I’m ready to get in as soon as possible and start working to be a part of something special.”

Daboll worked with Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel for two seasons in New England.

Crennel hasn’t hired a defensive coordinator, and he probably won’t. He will run the defense.

The only major coaching opening remaining in the AFC West is Oakland’s defensive coordinator job. The Raiders might be close to hiring Stanford co-defensive coordinator Jason Tarver for the job.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ long journey for a new offensive coordinator took them back to one of the first names that popped up for the job.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting the Chiefs will hire Brian Daboll as coordinator of the potentially dangerous offense. Daboll, 36, was a finalist along with Kansas City quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn and Al Saunders, a former Kansas City offensive coordinator who was just replaced in Oakland.

Daboll emerged as an early candidate. He continues the New England Way in Kansas City. He was in New England with Kansas City general manger Scott Pioli and Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel during the last decade.

There were reports last month that the Chiefs were looking for a dynamic offensive coordinator and Schefter reported that former Green Bay head coach Mike Sherman, who ended up as the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator, was on the Chiefs' radar. While Daboll is considered a promising young coach, it would be inaccurate to describe his previous experience as an NFL offensive coordinator as dynamic.

He was the Browns’ offensive coordinator from 2009-2010 and he was Miami’s offensive coordinator in 2011. Those offenses struggled. However, Miami’s offense made strides in the second half of last season and running back Reggie Bush had his best NFL season under Daboll’s guidance.

Daboll has a reputation for being a hard-edged coach. He was particularly hard on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy when he was a rookie in 2010.

Daboll’s hiring may be a good sign for Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel. They worked together for two years in New England. Both Pioli and Crennel said this week that Cassel will face competition. It is not known yet if the team will bring in someone to legitimately push Cassel or not.

Daboll is inheriting a potentially strong offense. The team will get star running back Jamaal Charles back after he blew out his knee in Week 2. Promising tight end Tony Moeaki will be back after missing the entire season with a knee injury. The passing game has a chance to be very good, particularly if free agent Dwayne Bowe returns. So, there are plenty of pieces for Daboll to work with.

It will be interesting to see if Zorn stays or if the Chiefs bring in a new quarterbacks coach. The Kansas City Star reported that Zorn may quit if he didn’t get the promotion.

UPDATE: NFL.com reported Saturday that Zorn will stay in Kansas City unless the Steelers approach him for their offensive coordinator job. This decision should serve the Chiefs well. Zorn had a good relationship with the quarterbacks last year and keeping him will ensure continuity.

The idea of getting a second chance has long driven Romeo Crennel.

Getting back in the head-coaching chair he fought so long and hard to get into in the first place, has fueled Crennel -- long respected as one of the NFL’s best defensive minds -- since he was fired as the head coach in Cleveland in 2008 after four seasons.

Now that he has secured that second chance, Crennel said he hasn’t had much time to reflect on the opportunity. He is too busy diving into his role as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Time spent congratulating himself on achieving his goal would be time wasted.

“I have 1,000 things to do to get this thing going,” Crennel said. “This is an opportunity that I want to take advantage of … I am happy to get that second chance and there were times I didn’t think it would happen.”

Thus, when the door opened for Crennel, his determination to earn a second chance was evident. Crennel, who took a season off after being fired in Cleveland, became the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator in 2010. When he was named the interim coach after the Chiefs fired Todd Haley with three games remaining this season, there was talk Crennel had a chance to become the permanent coach.

In Crennel’s first game as the head coach, the Chiefs knocked off the Packers. It was Green Bay’s only loss of the regular season. After losing in overtime at home to the Raiders in Week 16, the Chiefs won in Denver in a game the Broncos could have clinched the division title outright with a win. Talk about taking advantage of an opportunity.

Kansas City conducted some other interviews after the season, but the inevitable happened Jan. 9 when Crennel officially got his second chance. At the age of 64, Crennel wasn’t exactly counting on being a head coach again. He is now the second-oldest active head coach in the NFL behind the New York Giants’ Tom Coughlin, who is 65.

Now that he has received his second chance, Crennel is determined to prove he isn’t another name in the “good coordinator, bad head coach” bin.

Crennel, who was bypassed by six teams in 2003 after interviewing for head-coaching jobs when he was the Patriots' defensive coordinator, was 24-40 in Cleveland. The Browns did go 10-6 in 2007 under Crennel, but didn’t make the playoffs.

“We had a 10-win season there and I knew we did some good things there,” Crennel said. “I want to prove what we can do given this opportunity.”

Crennel said he has already applied lessons learned in Cleveland in his short time in Kansas City. Crennel’s first act as the interim coach was to replace quarterback Tyler Palko with Kyle Orton. Crennel struggled with a quarterback controversy in Cleveland between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. He was determined to avoid one this time.

Another reason Crennel is fueled for his second chance is he knows he is in a better situation. He acknowledged that the talented Chiefs’ roster is better than the roster he inherited in Cleveland.

“This is a passionate group of players,” Crennel said. ”We want to develop a good team chemistry and we think we have a good nucleus here.”

It starts with Crennel. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has said one of the reasons he hired Crennel is his competitive nature. Hunt was impressed when Crennel told him he wanted to be the Chiefs’ head coach because he wanted to win the Super Bowl.

If the performance of the Chiefs' players under Crennel in the final three games of the season is any indication, they are ready to make a Super Bowl run under Crennel’s guidance.

“I represent four players on the team,” said Joe Linta, Crennel’s agent. “All four of them are thrilled that Romeo got the job. His players love him.”

Crennel is known for his genial way and his patience. Crennel is a steady hand, who is always there for an encouraging word. His four Super Bowl rings (one with the Giants and three with the Patriots) earned as an assistant coach doesn’t hurt his credibility, either.

“I’ve been very fortune to be around some great players and great coaches like Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick,” Crennel said. “I have had a long history and I wouldn’t change anything as I prepare for this job.”

There is a strong chance this will be Crennel’s final job. It has been an incredible journey for the Lynchburg, Va., native who played offensive and defensive lineman at Western Kentucky. As he begins his second chance, Crennel reflected on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday this week. Crennel was a 20-year-old college student when King was killed.

“It was an emotional time.” Crennel said. “As a minority, I was worried about the progress Dr. King made would be stopped because of his death, but the movement kept going and I’m sure he would be very proud of it. I’m pleased it kept going and I’m very appreciative of every chance I’ve gotten because of his hard work.”

Now that Romeo Crennel has been hired as the permanent coach in Kansas City, the focus will be on his coordinator hires.

Reports suggest Kansas City will pursue a high-profile, dynamic offensive coordinator to help Crennel, who is a defensive specialist. Former Kansas City coach Todd Haley was an offensive-minded coach. Bill Muir, the Chiefs’ current offensive coordinator, reportedly may retire.

The problem with finding a star offensive coordinator is the fact there aren’t many available. One name to consider may be former Jacksonville offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. He is considered an up-and-comer. He interviewed for the head-coaching job in Denver last year. Other available names include former NFL head coaches Brad Childress and Mike Martz.

Koetter might be a safer pick, though, since Childress and Martz have reportedly had issues with getting along with co-workers and/or players in the past. After firing the volatile Haley, the Chiefs want stability and that is a big reason why Crennel was promoted.

One name to keep in mind is current Kansas City quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn. He is a respected, experienced coach, who knows this team and he works well with Crennel. Considering the Chiefs have had three different offenses in the past three seasons, sticking with a familiar coach makes sense.

The defensive coordinator search is less importance since Crennel will still have a big hand in the running the unit.

One name that may surface is former Jacksonville defensive coordinator and interim coach Mel Tucker. He was on Crennel’s staff in Cleveland. Another candidate could be San Francisco defensive line coach Jim Tomsula. Kansas City linebackers coach Gary Gibbs is also reportedly a candidate.

Crennel will likely get right to work on the assistant coach search and I could see the key openings being filed in the next week or so.

When the Kansas City Chiefs fired coach Todd Haley earlier this month, names such as Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, former Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Rams offensive cordinator Josh McDaniels emerged as possible replacements. .

All are high-profile coaches who would evoke emotions and excitement of varied degrees. Buried below the bigger names, though, was the candidacy of Kansas City defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, who was named the interim coach immediately after Haley was fired and considered a candidate, but perhaps not a leading candidate

However, that all changed last Sunday when Crennel’s Chiefs beat previously-perfect Green Bay in his first game as coach. Now, Crennel is considered by many as the top candidate. If the Chiefs -- who still have a heartbeat in the AFC West division race -- play well in their final two games against visiting Oakland and at Denver, Crennel, 64, could all but wrap up the job. He is already being endorsed by key figures in the organization.

The following is a look at why the Chiefs’ brass may decide to make Crennel the permanent head coach:

He’d get along with Scott Pioli: This is a paramount. Haley wasn’t fired because his injury-ravaged team was 5-8. He was fired primarily because he butted heads with Pioli, the general manager. This is a critical hire for Pioli. If he blows this one, his time in Kansas City could end.

Pioli must hire someone he is sure he can trust and someone he could work with. Pioli goes way back with Crennel, back to the Patriots' success in the early 2000s, and he is a big reason Crennel is in Kansas City. There would not be any coach-GM friction.

He just wants to coach: One of the reasons there wouldn’t be any friction is because Crennel is the good-soldier type. He is a lifer coach who is focused on teaching his players. He is not a new-school coach who wants his fingerprints on the playbook and everything else.

“Romeo trusts Scott Pioli and his ability to build a roster that can go to the Super Bowl. All Romeo would be interested in doing is coaching the team,” his agent, Joe Linta, said.

He’d bring stability to the program: The Chiefs are an interesting team. They are a building, young program that has already tasted success. This group won 10 games and the AFC West division title last year. The Chiefs, though, have been decimated by injuries this season and played virtually the entire year without young stars Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki, and they have gone a long period without quarterback Matt Cassel. All of these players are expected to be healthy next year. This is not a depleted franchise.

Retaining Crennel would prevent the Chiefs from having to adjust to a new coaching philosophy. The learning curve would be essentially wiped out and the Chiefs could go to training camp next year raring to go.

Players like him: Interim coaches don’t get Gatorade baths -- as Crennel did after the Green Bay shocker -- unless they are respected by the players.

There is no doubt Kansas City’s players like the affable, fair and above-board Crennel. The players chanted his name in the locker room after Sunday's win. Fullback Le'Ron McClain said after the game that Crennel had an instant impact on the team and he has players' support for the full-time job.

“That was a head-coach thing. We got that from Romeo,” McClain said. “What a statement we made. It’s great for him, for his future here. I know a lot of guys hope so. I know he had us ready to play this week and we showed it, from the first drive on out.”

He’s a calming force: Haley clashed with a lot of players. That is not Crennel’s nature. Teams usually look for polar opposites when they look to replace a coach, and that would be the case here. Crennel is different than Haley because he is not a screamer. Haley was volatile and would often blow up. Crennel is more of a listener. He is firm and he is not a pushover, but screaming is not Crennel’s first approach. That could be refreshing for the locker room, and I bet Pioli would welcome that tact as well.

He knows the Patriot Way: Pioli has modeled his teams after the Patriots, where he had great success as an executive with New England and was part of three Super Bowl championship teams last decade.

Crennel was the defensive coordinator on all three teams. Pioli and Crennel share the same vision. I think Pioli would be very interested in moving forward with a head coach who shared the New England experience with him.

He has head-coaching experience: Crennel showed his head-coaching experience in the Green Bay game. It was his 65th NFL games a head coach. That type of experience is always appealing to a team. Crennel was 24-40 in four seasons (2005-08) as the head coach in Cleveland. The record in Cleveland wasn’t great, but there were some front-office and talent issues there that made it a difficult situation.

“He is smart and could be one of those guys that does well with his second opportunity,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc., who worked in Cleveland with Crennel for a short period. “He did get a ton out of a Derek Anderson-led Browns team a few years ago and the players love and respect him.“

He could build a good staff: Hiring McDaniels as head coach may be a difficult sale considering he flamed out in Denver and he is part of a failing staff in St. Louis. However, if Crennel is hired as the head coach, McDaniels could be a terrific option as offensive coordinator if the Rams’ staff is sent packing. McDaniels has worked with both Cassel and current Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton (a pending free agent). A staff headed by Crennel with an offense led by McDaniels could be appealing. Plus, Jacksonville interim coach Mel Tucker was on Crennel’s staff in Cleveland. He’d be an attractive defensive coordinator candidate.

He won’t break the bank: Unlike Fisher and Ferentz (and other big hitters such as Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden), Crennel would be reasonably priced. That would appeal to ownership. Combining Crennel’s numerous positive attributes and his relatively low price tag, this could be a perfect pairing that may have begun with the Chiefs’ derailment of the Packers’ pursuit of perfection.