Best General Managers (1 Viewer)

[BoulderBob]

For offense, I'll have to go with Holmgren in Seattle

For defense, Angelo(CHI) has shown to be a genius of sorts

 

[whhwalker]

It's hard to argue against Pioli and Belichick in New England. I think they've defined "team" player for the next generation of GM's.

Someone who has done a good job of re-building a team is Shack Harris in Jacksonville. A dominant defense and a well-balanced, well-drafted offense.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Offense it has to be the Eagles.

7 of the 11 starters are Andy Reid draft choices McNabb '99, Westbrook '02, LJ Smith '03, Andrew and Tapeh '04, Brown and Herremans '05.

(Plus 5 of the defensive starters Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Michael Lewis, Mike Patterson, Trent Cole)

 

[cws3030]

ozzie newsome in balt hasn't done too bad of a job drafting DEF players.

 

[tommyGunZ]

AJ Smith down? He's had the reigns for 3 years now, and has turned a dismal roster into perhaps the most talented 52 in football. And all the core pieces are locked up for years.

Rivers, LT2, Merriman, Castillo, Cromartie, Jammer, Jamal Williams, McNeil, VJackson, Gates, etc....

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

AJ Smith down? He's had the reigns for 3 years now, and has turned a dismal roster into perhaps the most talented 52 in football. And all the core pieces are locked up for years.

Here's a list of the "long-term" contracts that are now in place.Jammer, Quentin signed through - 2012Kaeding, Nate signed through - 2012Tomlinson, LaDainian RB signed through - 2011Antonio Cromartie – signed through 2011Gates, Antonio TE signed through - 2011Marlon McCree S signed through - 2011Rivers, Philip QB signed through - 2011Hardwick, Nick C signed through - 2011Olivea, Shane G-T signed through - 2011Cesaire, Jacques DT signed through - 2011Scifres, Mike P signed through - 2011Merriman, Shawne signed through - 2010Castillo, Luis signed through - 2010Williams, Jamal DT signed through - 2010Olshansky, Igor DT signed through - 2010Pinnock, Andrew FB-RB signed through - 2010Cooper, Stephen LB signed through - 2010Jackson, Vincent signed through - 2010Parker, Eric WR signed through - 2010Osgood, Kassim WR signed through - 2010Tim Dobbins LB signed through - 2010Jeromey Clary OL signed through - 2010Chase Page DT signed through - 2010Charlie Whitehurst QB signed through - 2010Sproles, Darren signed through - 2009Foley, Steve signed through - 2009Goff, Mike G signed through - 2009Hart, Clinton FS - 2009Binn, David signed through - 2009

 

[Englishteacher]

ozzie newsome in balt hasn't done too bad of a job drafting DEF players.

excellent . especially since he'll have 3-4 potential HOF's taken in the late first round.

 

[Brunell4MVP]

AJ Smith down? He's had the reigns for 3 years now, and has turned a dismal roster into perhaps the most talented 52 in football. And all the core pieces are locked up for years.

Here's a list of the "long-term" contracts that are now in place.Jammer, Quentin signed through - 2012Kaeding, Nate signed through - 2012Tomlinson, LaDainian RB signed through - 2011Antonio Cromartie – signed through 2011Gates, Antonio TE signed through - 2011Marlon McCree S signed through - 2011Rivers, Philip QB signed through - 2011Hardwick, Nick C signed through - 2011Olivea, Shane G-T signed through - 2011Cesaire, Jacques DT signed through - 2011Scifres, Mike P signed through - 2011Merriman, Shawne signed through - 2010Castillo, Luis signed through - 2010Williams, Jamal DT signed through - 2010Olshansky, Igor DT signed through - 2010Pinnock, Andrew FB-RB signed through - 2010Cooper, Stephen LB signed through - 2010Jackson, Vincent signed through - 2010Parker, Eric WR signed through - 2010Osgood, Kassim WR signed through - 2010Tim Dobbins LB signed through - 2010Jeromey Clary OL signed through - 2010Chase Page DT signed through - 2010Charlie Whitehurst QB signed through - 2010Sproles, Darren signed through - 2009Foley, Steve signed through - 2009Goff, Mike G signed through - 2009Hart, Clinton FS - 2009Binn, David signed through - 2009

Wow, that's looking like a dynasty. They are a top 5 team this year, and that's a lot of young talent that'll be there for 4-5 years assuming they don't get in cap hell.

 

[tommyGunZ]

AJ Smith down? He's had the reigns for 3 years now, and has turned a dismal roster into perhaps the most talented 52 in football. And all the core pieces are locked up for years.

Here's a list of the "long-term" contracts that are now in place.Jammer, Quentin signed through - 2012Kaeding, Nate signed through - 2012Tomlinson, LaDainian RB signed through - 2011Antonio Cromartie – signed through 2011Gates, Antonio TE signed through - 2011Marlon McCree S signed through - 2011Rivers, Philip QB signed through - 2011Hardwick, Nick C signed through - 2011Olivea, Shane G-T signed through - 2011Cesaire, Jacques DT signed through - 2011Scifres, Mike P signed through - 2011Merriman, Shawne signed through - 2010Castillo, Luis signed through - 2010Williams, Jamal DT signed through - 2010Olshansky, Igor DT signed through - 2010Pinnock, Andrew FB-RB signed through - 2010Cooper, Stephen LB signed through - 2010Jackson, Vincent signed through - 2010Parker, Eric WR signed through - 2010Osgood, Kassim WR signed through - 2010Tim Dobbins LB signed through - 2010Jeromey Clary OL signed through - 2010Chase Page DT signed through - 2010Charlie Whitehurst QB signed through - 2010Sproles, Darren signed through - 2009Foley, Steve signed through - 2009Goff, Mike G signed through - 2009Hart, Clinton FS - 2009Binn, David signed through - 2009

Wow, that's looking like a dynasty. They are a top 5 team this year, and that's a lot of young talent that'll be there for 4-5 years assuming they don't get in cap hell.

No cap hell in Diego. AJ decided to use the $10M he freed up by not signing Drew Brees to lock up his young starters long term. If Marty keeps the handcuffs off of Rivers, I think we're looking at an early 90s Cowboy-like run in San Diego. Health and Martyball are the only possible derailments, IMO.Rivers > Big Ben, and = to Eli.

 

[cowboyz]

if BP ever becomes a GM he'd do a great job again, he's already rebuilt so many failed franchises.

and look at the players he's drafted

patriots 1993-1996: willie mcginest, ty law, curtis martin, terry glenn(disputable), lawyer milloy, tedy bruschi,

jets 97-2000: james farrior, jason ferguson, shaun ellis, abraham, pennington, coles

dallas: newman, witten, bradie james, demarcus ware

 

[Man in the yellow hat]

For offense, I'll have to go with Holmgren in Seattle

I don't know exactly how it all went down, but Ted Thompson certainly deservers some of those accolades.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Thompson

Thompson helped acquired through the draft. Some of the notable players Thompson selected in his tenure with the Seahawks were running back Shaun Alexander, kicker Josh Brown, guard Steve Hutchinson, and wide receiver Darrell Jackson, cornerbacks Marcus Trufant and Ken Lucas, safeties Ken Hamlin and Michael Boulware.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=292988

"I think Ted's matured a great deal in the last five years," Harlan said. "I think he's put together the scouting staff in Seattle, run the drafts, and I think he's become a much more efficient personnel guy in the last five years. He's grown in these 13 years. His career has progressed, and I think he's one of the better personnel people in the league.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

A little surprised there hasn't been much discussion on this article from RW:

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/46433/57/the-nfls-best-gms?pg=3

Best/Top10:

Belichick - NE (Best)

Newsome - BAL (note, he was ranked in the bottom 5 in a 2007 Forbes ranking, albeit a poor one)

Thompson - GB

Schneider - SEA

Baalke - SF

Elway - DEN

Lewis & Brown - CIN (Mike Brown was also bottom 5 in 2007)

Loomis - NO

Reese - NYG

Dimitroff - ATL

Bottom 10:

Dorsey - KC

Snead - STL

Whaley - BUF

Colbert - PIT

Spielman - MIN

Mayhew - DET

Webster - TEN

Jerry Jones - DAL (formerly top 5)

Bruce Allen - WAS

McKenzie - Oak (worst)

[Edited]

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Newsome - BAL (note, he was ranked in the bottom 10 in a 2007 Forbes ranking of all sports GMs', not just football)

They can rank him wherever they want to - I'll take the Ravens front office and throw the dice. Great owner with more money than God, and willing to spend it. Newsome, who knows what the hell he's doing. And DeCosta, who Bisciotti pays like a GM. I can count on one hand the players the Ravens let go who continued to be productive after their departure. On top of that, their scouting is pretty ok - they've made rich men out of undrafted FAs and over-the-hill guys alike.

 

[Donnybrook]

A little surprised there hasn't been much discussion on this article from RW:

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/46433/57/the-nfls-best-gms?pg=3

Read some of this. Did not enjoy it.

 

[MAC_32]

For offense, I'll have to go with Holmgren in Seattle

Jake Delhomme, Colt McCoy, Brandon Weeden, Greg Little, Montario Hardesty, Trent Richardson?

 

[fatness]

ozzie newsome in balt hasn't done too bad of a job drafting DEF players.

excellent . especially since he'll have 3-4 potential HOF's taken in the late first round.

Ozzie Newsome has been very good for years.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I think some of these names are kind of interesting: where does Mike Brown (No. 7 GM) in CIN fall these days?

he used to be considered the worst or near it, now his teams are considered well built. What changed here? Is it Lewis' input or just that Brown had a change in philosophy in terms of bringing in talented but antisocial miscreants?

 

[MAC_32]

I think some of these names are kind of interesting: where does Mike Brown (No. 7 GM) in CIN fall these days?

he used to be considered the worst or near it, now his teams are considered well built. What changed here? Is it Lewis' input or just that Brown had a change in philosophy in terms of bringing in talented but antisocial miscreants?

he started following the right people on twitter and drafted accordingly.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

A little surprised there hasn't been much discussion on this article from RW:

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/46433/57/the-nfls-best-gms?pg=3

Best/Top10:

Belichick - NE (Best)

Newsome - BAL (note, he was ranked in the bottom 5 in a 2007 Forbes ranking, albeit a poor one)

Thompson - GB

Schneider - SEA

Baalke - SF

Elway - DEN

Lewis & Brown - CIN (Mike Brown was also bottom 5 in 2007)

Loomis - NO

Reese - NYG

Dimitroff - ATL

Bottom 10:

Dorsey - KC

Snead - STL

Whaley - BUF

Colbert - PIT

Spielman - MIN

Mayhew - DET

Webster - TEN

Jerry Jones - DAL (formerly top 5)

Bruce Allen - WAS

McKenzie - Oak (worst)

[Edited]

Colbert on the bottom?

Why is Bellicheck up top? Great coahc yes, but as a GM since the luckiest 6th round pick ever (did Bill even draft Brady as GM? I dont know) I would question his ability to draft, Vet FA he does a decent job, but for every randy moss & corey dillon there has a been a bunch of donte stallworths too

 

[MAC_32]

Colbert has done a terrible job lately, earned that ranking.

 

[tommyGunZ]

AJ Smith down? He's had the reigns for 3 years now, and has turned a dismal roster into perhaps the most talented 52 in football. And all the core pieces are locked up for years.

Here's a list of the "long-term" contracts that are now in place.Jammer, Quentin signed through - 2012Kaeding, Nate signed through - 2012Tomlinson, LaDainian RB signed through - 2011Antonio Cromartie – signed through 2011Gates, Antonio TE signed through - 2011Marlon McCree S signed through - 2011Rivers, Philip QB signed through - 2011Hardwick, Nick C signed through - 2011Olivea, Shane G-T signed through - 2011Cesaire, Jacques DT signed through - 2011Scifres, Mike P signed through - 2011Merriman, Shawne signed through - 2010Castillo, Luis signed through - 2010Williams, Jamal DT signed through - 2010Olshansky, Igor DT signed through - 2010Pinnock, Andrew FB-RB signed through - 2010Cooper, Stephen LB signed through - 2010Jackson, Vincent signed through - 2010Parker, Eric WR signed through - 2010Osgood, Kassim WR signed through - 2010Tim Dobbins LB signed through - 2010Jeromey Clary OL signed through - 2010Chase Page DT signed through - 2010Charlie Whitehurst QB signed through - 2010Sproles, Darren signed through - 2009Foley, Steve signed through - 2009Goff, Mike G signed through - 2009Hart, Clinton FS - 2009Binn, David signed through - 2009

Wow, that's looking like a dynasty. They are a top 5 team this year, and that's a lot of young talent that'll be there for 4-5 years assuming they don't get in cap hell.

No cap hell in Diego. AJ decided to use the $10M he freed up by not signing Drew Brees to lock up his young starters long term. If Marty keeps the handcuffs off of Rivers, I think we're looking at an early 90s Cowboy-like run in San Diego. Health and Martyball are the only possible derailments, IMO.Rivers > Big Ben, and = to Eli.

Wow - looking back, health (injuries to LT2 & Rivers in the playoffs, and the long term injury to Merriman) and Martyball both struck in '06 and beyond.

DOH!

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

AJ Smith down? He's had the reigns for 3 years now, and has turned a dismal roster into perhaps the most talented 52 in football. And all the core pieces are locked up for years.

Here's a list of the "long-term" contracts that are now in place.Jammer, Quentin signed through - 2012Kaeding, Nate signed through - 2012Tomlinson, LaDainian RB signed through - 2011Antonio Cromartie – signed through 2011Gates, Antonio TE signed through - 2011Marlon McCree S signed through - 2011Rivers, Philip QB signed through - 2011Hardwick, Nick C signed through - 2011Olivea, Shane G-T signed through - 2011Cesaire, Jacques DT signed through - 2011Scifres, Mike P signed through - 2011Merriman, Shawne signed through - 2010Castillo, Luis signed through - 2010Williams, Jamal DT signed through - 2010Olshansky, Igor DT signed through - 2010Pinnock, Andrew FB-RB signed through - 2010Cooper, Stephen LB signed through - 2010Jackson, Vincent signed through - 2010Parker, Eric WR signed through - 2010Osgood, Kassim WR signed through - 2010Tim Dobbins LB signed through - 2010Jeromey Clary OL signed through - 2010Chase Page DT signed through - 2010Charlie Whitehurst QB signed through - 2010Sproles, Darren signed through - 2009Foley, Steve signed through - 2009Goff, Mike G signed through - 2009Hart, Clinton FS - 2009Binn, David signed through - 2009

Wow, that's looking like a dynasty. They are a top 5 team this year, and that's a lot of young talent that'll be there for 4-5 years assuming they don't get in cap hell.

No cap hell in Diego. AJ decided to use the $10M he freed up by not signing Drew Brees to lock up his young starters long term. If Marty keeps the handcuffs off of Rivers, I think we're looking at an early 90s Cowboy-like run in San Diego. Health and Martyball are the only possible derailments, IMO.Rivers > Big Ben, and = to Eli.

Wow - looking back, health (injuries to LT2 & Rivers in the playoffs, and the long term injury to Merriman) and Martyball both struck in '06 and beyond.

DOH!

awful decision to hire a puppet head coach in Norv, and then AJ didn't have a good draft since the merriman one.

 

[mr fancypants]

For offense, I'll have to go with Holmgren in Seattle

Jake Delhomme, Colt McCoy, Brandon Weeden, Greg Little, Montario Hardesty, Trent Richardson?

For an instant there I thought I just entered Bizzarro world and then realized the opening post was from 2006 LOL!!

 

[Riversco]

Telesco had a strong year last year. He found Keenan Allen which was so crucial. Mike McCoy was an excellent hire as head coach. The Chargers are going to be a serious threat for the conference title in 2014. Nothing gives good vibes like exceeding expectations in year 1.

 

[Sweet Love]

Funny...when this thread was started in 2006, I am surprised that Marty Hurney did not get any love.

2003 - Steve Smith

2003- Jordan Gross

2003 - Ricky Manning

2004- Travelle Wharton (best FA Tackle on the market now) - Not many picks this year

2005 - Thomas Davis

2005 - Evan Mathis

2005 - Geoff Hangartner

2005 - Joe Berger

2006 - DeAngelo Williams

2006 - Richard Marshall

2006 - James Anderson

2006 - Jeff King

2006 - Will Montgomery

(Almost his whole 2006 draft class is still in the league)

Misses - Eric Shelton (2nd), Atiyyah Ellison (4th), Stefan Lefors (4th), Keary Colbert (2nd), Bruce Nelson (2nd), Mike Seidman (3rd)

He also was instrumental in bringing in Delhomme, and in 2007 (the following year) drafted Jon Beason, Ryan Kalil, and Charles Johnson. Problem was he kept striking out on WRs (Dwayne Jarrett in the 2nd in 2007), did not contingency plan at QB and gave out contracts to "his guys" like candy...but sans WR, the guy had an eye for talent.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Funny...when this thread was started in 2006, I am surprised that Marty Hurney did not get any love.

2003 - Steve Smith

2003- Jordan Gross

2003 - Ricky Manning

2004- Travelle Wharton (best FA Tackle on the market now) - Not many picks this year

2005 - Thomas Davis

2005 - Evan Mathis

2005 - Geoff Hangartner

2005 - Joe Berger

2006 - DeAngelo Williams

2006 - Richard Marshall

2006 - James Anderson

2006 - Jeff King

2006 - Will Montgomery

(Almost his whole 2006 draft class is still in the league)

Misses - Eric Shelton (2nd), Atiyyah Ellison (4th), Stefan Lefors (4th), Keary Colbert (2nd), Bruce Nelson (2nd), Mike Seidman (3rd)

He also was instrumental in bringing in Delhomme, and in 2007 (the following year) drafted Jon Beason, Ryan Kalil, and Charles Johnson. Problem was he kept striking out on WRs (Dwayne Jarrett in the 2nd in 2007), did not contingency plan at QB and gave out contracts to "his guys" like candy...but sans WR, the guy had an eye for talent.

I think he did well in that 2007 Forbes listing - he was No. 2.

http://www.forbes.com/2007/03/02/sports-greatest-gms-biz-cz_jg_0302gms.html

It just goes to show how it's difficult to look ahead, a lot of times these rankings are just based on who's winning at that time, hard to look into the future. It's also funny how GMs and coaches look like geniuses but then a few years later they're fired as though hey they were never really geniuses at all.