PFT: 'Boy Squeezing Norv, Wade?

'BOYS SQUEEZING NORV, WADE?

There's talk in league circles that Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips remains at the top of the list for the Cowboys' head-coaching job, despite reports that 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner is the front-runner for the job.

So could it be that owner Jerry Jones is trying to soften up both of them in the hopes of getting one of the them to accept whatever lowball offer he puts on the table?

The Steelers claim that last week's dueling reports regarding the candidacies of Mike Tomlin and Russ Grimm resulted from efforts to negotiate with both men before making a final decision. Though there's a question as to the accuracy of this contention, since Tomlin's agent admits that there was no negotiation with his client until his client was informed that he was the choice, the strategy makes sense, if a team has decided that either guy would be acceptable.

Both Turner and Phillips have previously held two head-coaching jobs. But with neither getting a sniff for any of the four other vacancies that were filled this year, Jones is in position to at least try to play one against the other in order to get the best deal possible.

Especially when he can tell both of them that, if they're not interested in the money he's offering, he can just make offensive coordinator Jason Garrett the coach.