An impasse approaches for the Cleveland Browns and general manager Tom Heckert.
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New Browns CEO Joe Banner said last month that he prefers his head coach to have final say on roster decisions, just as Andy Reid did during Banner's successful run with the Philadelphia Eagles. Heckert has had final say on personnel in Cleveland, and he made it clear Friday he doesn't want that to change.
"I'm not going to lie," Heckert said, via The Plain Dealer. "It's important. It's why I came here. I've said it before, everywhere I've been, I've kind of been the personnel guy even though I didn't have final say. I'm not saying it's an end-all, but it's very important to me."
Heckert was asked if he'd want to remain with the Browns if that final say was taken away from him.
"I don't know, that's something I'd have to discuss with the powers that be," he said.
Heckert said he hasn't asked Banner or new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam about rumors surrounding the team's plans, explaining he's "going to find out here in two weeks anyway."
The Plain Dealer said Heckert paused when asked if he wanted to be back in 2013.
"Uh, you know what? Yeah, I do," he said. "There's a lot of things. ... I'm sure we're going to sit down and talk about after the season. But right now, of course, I really enjoy the city and I really enjoy this team, and so that would be the ideal situation. ...
"I would love to (stay), and if it doesn't work out here, hopefully I will do the same thing somewhere else."
When Haslam and Banner came into power, it was widely assumed a housecleaning was coming in Cleveland. That still could happen, but five wins in the Browns' last eight games could give the organization some pause about a radical overhaul.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
