HECKERT EMERGES AS CANDIDATE FOR BROWNS JOB

Eagles G.M. Tom Heckert technically doesn’t fit the official NFL anti-tampering policy definition of the term “General Manager” because he doesn’t have final say over the Eagles’ draft, or the team’s 53-man roster. But he possibly could be getting such authority in Cleveland. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Browns have requested permission to interview Heckert. The man who previously held the title, Phil Savage, had final say over the roster and the draft. Under a new procedure adopted by the league in October 2008, a non-high-level front-office employee of a team still alive in the playoffs may interview for high-level jobs with other teams, but only with the permission of his current employer. In other words, the Eagles can tell the Browns to get bent, at least until the Eagles get beat. Philly also block the move if the new job doesn’t entail control of the draft or authority over the roster. Coach Andy Reid possesses “final say” with the Eagles. Heckert’s standing in Philadelphia isn’t clear. When the Vikings came sniffing around three years ago, he scored a promotion to G.M. Last year, however, the Eagles seemed to be anxious to move on, with owner Jeffrey Lurie personally recommending Heckert to Falcons owner Arthur Blank for the G.M. job in Atlanta. (Former Patriots director of college scouting Thomas Dimitroff eventually was hired over Heckert.) Since then, the team promoted Howie Roseman to the position of V.P. of player personnel, and there’s a loose sense in some league circles that Roseman is the real No. 2 man behind Reid. Most recently, rumors and speculation had linked Heckert to the Lions. But it recently was reported that Heckert has no interest in joining the team. As Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer points out, Heckert’s candidacy in Cleveland could be evidence of a potential pairing with Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, a former Eagles defensive assistant. Thus, “Spagert” could end up being an alternative to what one league source has described to us as “Mankok” -- the possible joint hire of coach Eric Mangini and G.M. George Kokinis.