What does Randy Lerner do now?

The Browns owner has not been heard from since John Collins resigned as president on Jan. 3. Although Lerner said in his released statement that he would assume the responsibilities of the job in the interim, nobody believes the organization can run efficiently without a chief executive.

"He definitely needs one," said an NFL source extremely familiar with Lerner. "He's not going to move to Cleveland. Secondly, he's not a guy who runs something. And he doesn't want to be tied down. So, yes, he needs to find somebody.

"But he should take his time and find somebody who will do the right job, not somebody he's going to pal around with."

There was concern among Browns staffers last week that Collins was still operating as president, behind the scenes, from New York. The concern was fueled by a meeting in New York between Collins and some of his lieutenants. The meeting, however, was to catch them up on sponsorship deals Collins had initiated before his departure.

Until Lerner fills the void in his organization, Lew Merletti, executive vice president and chief operating officer, will keep things together. Merletti, whom Collins planned to banish to Lerner's holding company, is a long-shot contender for the top executive job.

If Lerner opts to seek an executive with experience in running an NFL organization, he would be hard-pressed to find a more qualified candidate than Jeff Diamond.

Diamond, 52, has 28 years' experience in the NFL, most recently as president of the Tennessee Titans from 1999 through 2003.

Diamond was not retained because Titans owner Bud Adams wanted to cut executive salaries to compensate for a new contract for coach Jeff Fisher, whose pay doubled from $2.5 million to $5 million. (Coincidentally, the Titans have not made the playoffs in the two seasons since Diamond left.)

Since his departure from the Titans, Diamond has remained in Nashville, Tenn., working for a management consultant company, whose clients include the NHL Predators.

In his various positions with the Vikings and Titans, Diamond has negotiated player contracts, local radio and television deals, and marketing agreements with major corporations.

He also has a good feel for community and public relations - something the Browns could use right now.

Maurice's jab:

Maurice Carthon received his share of criticism in his first season as Browns offensive coordinator - they were last in the NFL in points, remember? - but he never let on about it. Last week, he got in his jab.

Carthon's interview for the head coaching job of the New Orleans Saints consumed seven hours over two days. Afterward, he met with the area media. Somebody asked if his first year as a play-caller was a learning experience.

"I learned something this year in Cleveland as the play-caller, with the criticism that you have to take," Carthon said. "The media in Cleveland, that's the same media that ran away Bill Belichick, so you know they were on me every week.

"They didn't agree with the play-calling here and there. Those are the things that you can hopefully get used to and can help you be a better coach."

For the record, Carthon was just starting his coaching career with New England when Belichick's tenure in Cleveland was coming to an end in 1995.

Carthon might not be aware that Belichick was fired by former owner Art Modell (over the phone, two days after the 1995 season ended) because Modell did not want to take the taciturn Belichick to Baltimore. Modell felt he needed a more likable coach, so he hired Ted Marchibroda, who had a history with the city.

Carthon said he enjoyed his first season as Browns coordinator, despite the pitfalls faced by a new staff rebuilding a team from the ground up.

"I don't look at them as pitfalls. I look at them as things you experience and learn from," he said.

"Going to Cleveland with [Romeo Crennel] was just a good experience. We went through the things that we went through. Quite possibly we could have won a couple of more games, but we didn't. I realize that there's a system in place. There's improvement there. That's what I hope to do here."

Carthon is still a contender for the head coaching jobs in New Orleans and Detroit. He also interviewed in Green Bay, but that position was given to San Francisco offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy.

The 49ers' offense under McCarthy ranked last in yards and 30th in points, incidentally. How tough a sell was that to the Packers faithful in Green Bay?

Ins and outs:

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti gave Brian Billick these marching orders after keeping him as Baltimore coach, "I want him to focus more on the players and less on the press." . . . Jon Kitna said he wants to regain a starting quarterback job and might leave Cincinnati in free agency. The Bengals would like to keep Kitna because Carson Palmer might not be back from knee surgery until the second half of the 2006 season.

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