GM Candidates
Aside - I’m not considering tv personalities, we know how that ends. Cribbed this from a couple blog posts and yesterday’s SI article on the subject.
1.) Adam Peters, San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel
Peters has learned from one of the most adept individuals at running a front office in John Lynch.
Lynch hired Peters in 2017 to be the team's vice president of player personnel -- a job he still holds to this day with the 49ers.
Prior to joining San Francisco, he spent eight years in Denver (2009-16), starting off as a regional scout and eventually rising to the position of director of college scouting.
He not only helped construct two AFC championship teams with the Broncos, including a Super Bowl championship squad in 2015, but he also aided in building the 49ers into NFC champions a season ago.
Additionally, San Francisco has drafted well since '17 -- a credit to Lynch but also to Peters. It played a factor in the franchise making a Super Bowl appearance last year.
Quinn, meanwhile, was not known for producing the strongest draft hauls.
So, it'd be a nice change of pace to have someone leading the front office that's capable of doing so.
While there's no guarantee, there's a rather strong possibility that hiring Peters would also result in the hiring of Dearborn, Mich., native and present 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to be Patricia's successor.
Although offensive play-callers are more of the hot commodities in today's game, Saleh would be considered a home-run hire due to his ties to the metro Detroit area.
Peters and Saleh would sure be a duo that would make the Lions fanbase happy.
2.) Ed Dodds: Assistant General Manager (Colts)
Dodds will be one of the hottest names on the market within a pool of incredibly qualified candidates, but he may also be the one with the most moxie of the bunch, absolutely.
After helping build one of the best defenses in the NFL in Seattle, the “Legion of Boom,” originally joining the Seahawks in 2007, Dodds has seen similar success with the Colts joining GM Chris Ballard in Indianapolis in 2017. Dodds is a respected scout within the NFL and reportedly declined an interview with the Cleveland Browns in January for its GM post.
This year, however, Dodds will be a lead candidate yet again, and perhaps he won’t pass up on the opportunity.
After spending 10 seasons with the Seahawks, most recently Seattle’s senior personnel executive responsible for evaluating both college and pro talent, Dodds was promoted to assistant GM with the Colts in 2018. Seattle posted six winning seasons, five NFC West titles and 10 playoff wins, along with two Super Bowl appearances (one win), during his tenure.
The Colts, under Ballard and Dodds, have built one of the best rosters in the NFL, and are currently in second place in the AFC South at 7-4.
3.) Mike Borgonzi - Director of Football Operations (Chiefs)
Borgonzi will no doubt be a household name among the teams that need a general manager following the conclusion of the 2020 season, and for good reason. He would be hired as a College Scouting Administrator for the Chiefs in 2009 and work his way up the ladder, eventually landing at the post he holds today as the team’s director of football operations.
Since he’s been witht he Chiefs, they’ve posted just three losing records, once in 2009 (4-12), 2011 (7-9) and 2012 (2-14). Learning under former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli, and now current GM Brett Veach, Borgonzi has seen the franchise headed under plenty of success. Primarily a pro scout during his career, Borgonzi has still been heavily involved in the scouting department on collegiate side.
While most would point to quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the great get by the Chiefs during Borgonzi’s tenure, as they should, there have been plenty of “hits” other than the quarterback position, too.
The major hits in the first round include Eric Berry (2010), Dontari Poe (2012), Eric Fisher (2013), Marcus Peters (2015), Chris Jones (2016), Mecole Hardman (2019). The jury is certainly still out on 2020 first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but the early returns are solid enough.
Borgonzi will likely be the No. 1 “prospect” for many teams following the season, and the Jaguars would be smart to bring in someone who comes from such a successful franchise. With no doubt plenty of opportunity to present an efficient scouting department, the team-building aspect that Borgonzi brings should be enticing.
4.) Pittsburgh Steelers general manager/vice president Kevin Colbert
This is definitely a pipe dream candidate right here, as there's been no indication that he'd be willing to leave his post with the Steelers.
He's been with the Steelers since 2000, and has overseen two Super Bowl championship-winning teams.
During his run in Pittsburgh, the Steelers have also suffered just one losing season (in 2003).
Meanwhile, in stark contrast, the Lions have experienced 15 losing seasons in the same time span, and it's 16, if you include the 2020 campaign.
5.) Brandon Hunt: Pro Scouting Coordinator (Steelers)
Hunt will be incredibly tough to get from Pittsburgh as he is widely thought of as the heir apparent to current Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert.
Currently the team’s pro scouting coordinator, Hunt originally joined the Steelers’ personnel department as an intern from 2005-06, before spending two years in Houston as a pro scout, and re-joining the Steelers in 2009. Hunt has now spent 11 years in his current role, scouting opponents and evaluating the pro side of things.
Hunt has, however, worked along wide Colbert and the Pittsburgh scouting department on the collegiate end, playing an active role in acquiring linebacker Devin Bush, drafted 10th overall in 2019, and running back Benny Snell in the fourth round of the same draft.
The Steelers have been one of the most-successful NFL franchises in the NFL over the past two decades, posting just one losing record (6-10, 2003). Currently, Pittsburgh is the only undefeated team in the NFL, boasting one of the deepest rosters - offensively and defensively - in the NFL.
Hunt, while he is primarily accustomed to the “pro” side of things, would come with plenty of experience and success in one of the best franchises in the NFL. While his scouting department would have to be deep, he should have no problem filling it.
6.) Joe Hortiz: Director of Player Personnel (Ravens)
If, by now, you’ve noticed a trend, you’re not wrong. The candidates on this list, for the most part, come from hugely successful franchise and Hortiz is no different.
Currently in his 22nd season with the Baltimore Ravens, second as the team’s director of player personnel, Hortiz comes with plenty of experience and is part of what is widely thought of as the best front office in the NFL. Hortiz worked his way from the bottom of the scouting department to essentially the top.
Prior to his recent promotion in 2019, Hortiz spent nine years as the team’s director of college scouting, responsible for all aspects of the college process, coordinating schedules, and cross-checking duties of the area and regional scouts.
Under both former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and current Ravens GM Eric DeCosta, Hortiz helped assemble one of the best rosters in the NFL, and was responsible for draft preparation and the evaluation and ranking process of “hundreds” of NFL draft-eligible prospects.
According to the Ravens’ PR, Hortiz scouted several of the Ravens’ top players, including Ronnie Stanley (2016), C.J. Mosley (2014), Brandon Williams, Rick Wagner and Kyle Juszcyk in 2013, among others. Hortiz also scouted former Ravens guard Ben Grubs in 2007.
The Jaguars would be wise to pluck from one of the best front offices in the NFL, especially landing someone such as Hortiz who comes with plenty of experience and success. The Ravens have consistently been one of the best teams in the NFL over the past decade and change, posting just two losing records since 2006 (5-11, 2007 and 5-11, 2015).
7.) Ex-Houston Texans GM Rick Smith
Before former Texans head coach and general manager Bill O'Brien destroyed the franchise with roster-crippling moves, such as trading star wideout DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals, Smith had started to put the pieces in place to make Houston a consistent playoff contender.
Smith took over as the team's general manager in 2006, and was later elevated to the position of executive vice president of football operations.
He stepped down in 2017 to care for his ailing wife.
While in charge of the Texans' front office, he was responsible for drafting some high-end talent, including Hopkins, J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson, who ended up being his final first-round pick with the organization.
Detroit is in dire need of a young franchise passer, and should be selecting one in next year's NFL Draft.
If Smith's up to the challenge and ready to return to the NFL, I wouldn't mind entrusting him with such a responsibility.
8.) Former Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff
Dimitroff was fired along with Dan Quinn earlier this season, after the Falcons jumped out to a disappointing 0-5 start to the campaign.
He's primarily on this list, because he built the Atlanta squad that won the NFC during the 2016 season.
However, it should also be noted that the Falcons made the playoffs in four of Dimitroff's first five years in Atlanta, including during his very first season in 2008.
He was more successful than not during his 12-year run in Atlanta (2008-2020), as the Falcons went 113-90 in that span.
His resume tells me that he definitely at least warrants consideration for Detroit's general manager vacancy.