Pioli on the clock with the Browns

Ron Borges and Karen Guregian are reporting that as of late last night there has been no deal finalized between Patriots Scott Pioli and his ardent suitor, the Cleveland Browns.

The clock is ticking on Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, who today must decide whether he wants to take the Cleveland Browns’ offer to be their chief football executive, according to sources familiar with the negotiation.

The two sides met yesterday in New York, and parted company with no deal in place, but with the deadline established.

Club owner Randy Lerner made his pitch, and Pioli countered. According to one source, some within the Browns organization feel Pioli made demands so high that perhaps he really doesn’t want to leave the Patriots nest.

Or maybe he’s simply overplaying his hand.

Lerner is also expected to interview Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay today for the same post. If that meeting does in fact take place, it would be a telltale sign the romance and flirtation with Pioli has ended.

The Browns also want to meet with recently fired Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, according to a report on the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Web site. That adds another interesting wrinkle.

Pioli wants full control of the organization, and his first choice as head coach is Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, a fellow former Browns staffer.

Lerner also met with deposed Jets coach Eric Mangini yesterday as a candidate for the head coaching position to replace yet another former Patriots staffer, Romeo Crennel, whom Lerner fired Monday. Several sources have indicated Lerner has a deep infatuation with Mangini, whose brother-in-law is Cleveland Indians general manager Mark Shapiro. Lerner believes some of the Bill Belichick coaching magic still exists in Mangini.

Pioli, however, appears to be the first priority.

The Browns entered yesterday’s meeting prepared to make what was described by a league source as “a huge” financial offer to the Pats executive. The money might have been “huge” but apparently not everything suited Pioli. According to sources, some of his demands were impossible for any team to meet.

Should Pioli spurn Cleveland’s offer, there are still a few more jobs potentially in the offing. Kansas City is one, and Pioli’s on the short list there. The Chiefs have also asked permission to speak with him.

The fit, however, might not be right there as owner Clint Hunt is said to be looking for a younger and less-heralded front office executive in the mold of Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff, another fledgling from the Patriots nest.

Denver is also another potential landing spot for Pioli, but doesn’t seem likely since Pat Bowlen, who just canned coach/general manager Shanahan, intends on hiring a coach first. He has also told his staff he will stick with the scouting staff, which would oppose Pioli’s stated desire for total control.

Pioli is out of the running at Detroit.

As for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the Browns have asked and reportedly been granted permission to speak with the Ohio native about their head coaching job. It’s not clear if McDaniels has decided to finally throw his hat in the ring, and interview for a top job. He’s also on Detroit’s list.