BY BOB RAISSMANDAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERAfter 12 seasons as the host and rock-solid foundation of Fox's "NFL Sunday" pregame show, James Brown may be leaving to join the competition - CBS' "The NFL Today."According to industry sources, CBS Sports suits have made Brown, who teams with Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson on Fox's pregame, an offer to move into Greg Gumbel's anchor chair next season on "The NFL Today."One mole went as far to say that Brown, who broke onto the national TV scene with CBS in 1984 as a college basketball analyst, already has decided to move to CBS. If he does jump networks, Brown would work with Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe and Boomer Esiason on the CBS show.The opening on "The NFL Today" likely was created when Gumbel, who just completed his second season hosting CBS' pregame offering, expressed a desire to return to a play-by-play role.Gumbel, who was Phil Simms' play-by-play partner on CBS' No.1 NFL team for six seasons, moved into "The NFL Today" anchor chair in 2004, when CBS Sports boss Sean McManus decided to take Jim Nantz off the studio show and move him in the booth to do play-by-play with Simms.If Brown were to come over to CBS, Gumbel could be moved in to team with Dan Dierdorf on the Eye's No.2 NFL pairing. Dierdorf is currently matched with veteran Dick Enberg.Brown's Fox contract expired following the 2005 season. Sources said while Fox sports brass might have wanted to sign him to a new deal during the season, Brown elected to keep his options open.If Brown does decide to go to CBS, he also would have a chance to work college basketball. For 11 years (1984-94) Brown co-hosted CBS' NCAA basketball championship studio show. Brown was an All-Ivy League basketball player with Harvard in the early 1970s.
