BEREA, Ohio -- Randy Lerner's sale of the Browns to Tennessee businessman Jimmy Haslam III could be approved before the start of the regular season in September, and former Eagles President Joe Banner is an integral part of the Haslam group, league sources told The Plain Dealer Saturday.

Banner's involvement could mean the Browns are in for another front-office shakeup. Banner, whose longtime tenure as Eagles president ended in June, would most likely come in as part owner and team president. If that's the case, it would spell the end of Mike Holmgren's reign in the third year of a five-year contract that pays him an estimated $8 million a year.

Would Banner, 59, leave the current regime intact for the 2012 season?

It depends on how soon the transfer of ownership takes place, and according to the source, that could be as early as August. The deal -- in which Lerner will sell the team for $920 million according to Forbes -- is close enough that the owners could approve of it during a special meeting next month.

The full ownership isn't scheduled to meet until October, Holmgren said, and he's heard nothing yet of an earlier session being called.

For comparison's sake, it took only about two weeks last season for owners to unanimously approve the sale of the Jacksonville Jaguars from Wayne Weaver to Shahid Khan. Weaver signed the deal on Nov. 29 and announced it later that afternoon. On Dec. 6, the NFL's Finance Committee met to recommend the deal, and on Dec. 14th, the owners approved it. Khan took control of the team on Jan. 4.

If things move that fast in this transaction -- and all indications are they will -- Haslam can reasonably expect to take over a month after the deal is signed.

One reason it can close so quickly is that the NFL helped broker the deal and paired Haslam with Banner, who's been a member of the Eagles' front office since 1994 and is still a strategic advisor to owner Jeff Lurie, his childhood friend. Banner, who was team president from 2001 until last month, brings the requisite experience to run a team, and is credited with helping the Eagles to 11 playoff appearances during his tenure.

Another reason it can be expedited is that Haslam has already passed the NFL's rigorous investigation into his background and finances required when he purchased an estimated 10 to 16 percent stake in the Steelers in 2008 -- "enough to have a seat on the board," a source said.

When Banner stepped aside June 7 -- after what some in the Philly media described as a power struggle with head coach Andy Reid -- he said in a press conference that he wanted to be "involved with the world of buying and selling a sports team with the possibility of becoming part of a group that buys a team."

That day, Howard Eskin of NBC 10 in Philadelphia reported that the Browns were one of several teams on the block and that Banner was involved in talks. The Browns, through a team spokesman, stated "the team is not for sale."

What remains to be seen is where Banner stands with other members of the Browns staff that he worked closely with for years in Philadelphia, such as General Manager Tom Heckert, coach Pat Shurmur and offensive coordinator Brad Childress -- all of whom are close to Reid. Banner would most likely let the 2012 season play out and then revisit it afterwards.

If Holmgren is ousted, he might still make the $8 million a year he's owed through 2014. Holmgren consulted frequently with former Dolphins President Bill Parcells when making his decision to come to Cleveland, and likely secured a similar guarantee of his contract in the even of an ownership change.

Asked about Banner coming in and what that means for him, he said, "We'll see."

He said he knows he hasn't produced yet, "but I believe we're close. My last press conference I said I'd be disappointed if we didn't take a pretty good jump this year and I still feel that way. I believe we're a better football team. I see it coming."

Lerner walked out onto the practice field Saturday morning with Holmgren to watch the first day of training camp, and it felt like a farewell. He walked over and shook hands with Shurmur and Heckert, and then watched most of practice with other members of the front office and staff.

Holmgren said afterward that Lerner and his son, Max, have moved back to New York after living in Cleveland last year so Max could attend St. Ignatius. He admitted that the process has been difficult on Lerner.

"Those are personal things, but he's an emotional guy," Holmgren said. "He loves this place. I think you can all say he didn't like the limelight, he didn't like to be out and front or talk to you guys, but he cares deeply. Anything like this is going to be a very tough, emotional decision."

As for the sale price, Forbes reported Saturday that Lerner was seeking $1 billion to $1.1 billion before settling on $920 million. A month ago, Forbes valued the Browns at $977 million, which ranked 20th among NFL franchises.

Lerner's later father, Al, purchased the team in 1998 for $530 million.

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