ALLEN PARK -- From the time he was promoted to the interim gig in September, Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said he knew why the team was doing such a poor job in acquiring players. It wasn't because the Lions weren't getting good information, it was because they weren't using that information wisely.
Mayhew addressed that problem as the Lions announced the hiring of James "Shack" Harris to the title of senior personnel executive. Harris will assist Mayhew in the day-to-day operations of the personnel department and also help evaluate college and pro talent.
After one of their first meetings with the personnel department, Mayhew and Harris had another meeting -- to discuss what happened in the first meeting. Mayhew wanted to tap into Harris' vast NFL experience in knowing how to get the most out of the information that was being discussed.
"The final decision is up to Martin," said Harris, 61. "My role is to assist him and give him as much information as I can and use my experience to help him in some areas where he may need some additional suggestions and advice."
A former quarterback, Harris has been involved in the front office for the past 22 years. He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987 as a scout and became the New York Jets' assistant general manager six years later. After four years there, Harris became the director of pro personnel with the Baltimore Ravens for six years, including their Super Bowl season of 2000.
Harris spent the past six years as the vice president of player personnel with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags went 5-11 in Harris' first year, but they were 40-24 over the next four seasons. Last year, the injury-plagued Jags fell to a disappointing 5-11 and Harris left the team late in the season.
It still is not clear whether Harris was fired or resigned.
"I don't want to talk about Jacksonville," Harris said. "But I'm proud of what we did there."
The Lions have several big decisions to make in the offseason, and Mayhew said the biggest one is quarterback. The Lions have two veterans on the roster who are expected to make big roster bonuses on Feb. 27 -- Daunte Culpepper ($2.5 million) and Jon Kitna ($500,000).
"We're talking through that right now as we look at free agency and the draft," Mayhew said. "That's an ongoing discussion we're having, and it's probably the biggest personnel decision we'll have to make this offseason -- the quarterback position."
When asked if both veterans still could be with the team this season, Mayhew said, "There's a possibility of that."
