GM Candidates

[jj22]

Quote:Mike Borgonzi (Director of Football Operations, Kansas City Chiefs): The former Brown Fullback who worked briefly in the financial sector before coming to the NFL, Borgonzi brings his Ivy League-educated aptitude to evaluation and team building. He’s known for his attention to detail, keen eye as an evaluator, collaborative approach, and his unparalleled work ethic. Now in his 11th year, he is extremely well versed in every aspect of football operations as Brett Veach’s right-hand man. He started as the college scouting administrator, then managed football operations, then was a pro personnel scout, Assistant Director of Pro Scouting, Director of Player Personnel, and then Director of Football Operations. He’s worked with and learned from Scott Pioli, John Dorsey, Andy Reid, Chris Ballard, and Brett Veach in the construction of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV winning roster.

George Paton (Asst. general manager, Minnesota Vikings): He’s a former defensive back at UCLA who has spent more than 20 years in the NFL. He was alleged to have been offered the San Francisco 49ers job prior to John Lynch and was Kevin Stefanski’s choice for general manager in Cleveland.  Has turned down numerous inquiries in the past, but this could be the year for him. He was the Pro Director in Miami from 01-06, so he can talk ball with the coaching staff. He was Director of Player Personnel in Minnesota from 2007-2011 and currently the Assistant general manager in Minnesota. He’s regarded as very professional, collaborative, and extremely proficient as an evaluator. 

Jon-Eric Sullivan (Director of Player Personnel-Green Bay Packers): A former wide receiver at South Carolina and Gardner Webb, Sullivan grew up around the game learning from his father, legendary NFL wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan. He initially followed his father into coaching then diverted his path to scouting. He was an area scout for seven years and then became the Director of College Scouting. As Director of Player Personnel, he currently oversees the entire college scouting operation. His wide range of coaching connections could afford him the ability to hire the next young coaching phenom. He’s well rounded, articulate, collaborative, understands the game, and has a keen eye for talent. 

Chris Shea (Football Operations Counsel/Personnel Executive-Kansas City Chiefs): Shea may be the most diverse candidate in this cycle with a skill set that rivals very few in the NFL. He is an attorney who also has extensive expertise in salary cap management, evaluating both pro/college prospects, coaching, analytics, and NFL labor law.  After earning his Juris Doctor and a license to practice law, he was hired to work in the NFL league office. He then returned to the NFL with the Miami Dolphins in the role of Player Personnel Coordinator and Administration. He was later promoted to Assistant Director of Pro Scouting. He then became the Director of Scouting Administration/Strategic Management with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is currently with the Chiefs, where he has contributed to scouting, salary cap, legal counsel, football operations, and player personnel—working in nearly every capacity of football operations. He has worked with Bill Parcells, Dick Haley, Dan Henning, Andy Reid, Bill Belichick, and currently works closely with Brett Veach. 

Dark Horse Candidates/Out of the Box Hires: 

Trey Brown (President of Trey Brown Consulting, inc.): Only 35 years old, the former UCLA cornerback and son of former first-round running back Theotis Brown, Trey was identified as a “future star/fast riser” in the business very early in his career. He was hand-picked (along with Louis Riddick, Andrew Berry, and others) as one of 10 future NFL general managers to participate in an NFL leadership summit in the summer of 2019. Brown was mentored by Carl Peterson, started scouting in New England under Bill Belichick, and later accepted a promotion to become Director of College Scouting in Philadelphia—the Eagles won a Super Bowl in 2018. Brown interviewed for general manager jobs in Buffalo (at age 32) and Oakland/Las Vegas (at age 33) before Las Vegas hired Mike Mayock. Owners suggested he only needed to gain experience running an entire operation and develop in the business sector, so in 2019 he went to the AAF and the XFL as Director of Player Personnel. He is currently consulting potential ownership groups on the purchase of professional sports franchises.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (VP of Football Ops-Cleveland Browns): Adofo-Mensah completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton and earned a Masters in Economics at Stanford. Ten years ago, Adofo-Mensah was a commodities trader and portfolio manager on wall street. A chance meeting with NFL analytics pioneer Paraag Marathe landed him in San Francisco leading the research and development department. During his seven years in San Francisco, he developed under Paraag, who is widely considered the best in the NFL at what he does. After meeting Andrew Berry and exchanging numbers with him at the NFL Scouting Combine, he was hired to become VP of Football Ops. While Adofo-Mensah lacks a background that is entrenched in the game, he is lauded for his extremely high level of intelligence and his willingness to grow and develop in the aspect of X’s and O’s

Future Stars (a couple years away): 

Ryan Poles (Director of Player Personnel-Kansas City Chiefs): Boston College linemen are regarded as highly intelligent. Poles has an extremely high mental aptitude while also being thorough and detailed as an evaluator. Has had a similar trajectory as Borgonzi.

Quentin Harris (Director of Player Personnel-Arizona Cardinals): Harris is a former NFL safety who commands instant respect from players. He’s another “unifier” to be a conduit between the coaching staff and scouting department. Thought to be Steve Keim’s eventual successor in Arizona, Harris is highly intelligent, a great communicator, and willing to stand on the table with conviction about his players.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/next-potential-nfl-general-managers-gms-2021-2022

[J24]

If we're going to hire a GM it's going to be someone that the Brown Family trusts and has history with the team. Like the only guy who has had a winning record under Mikes tenure.

[*ochocincos*]

Let's be honest: this franchise is not bringing in a GM while Mike Brown owns the team. And even if you talk about replacing Tobin as director of player personnel, who with a proven track record would want to come into that role vs actually being a true GM with the title and all of the job duties?

With that said, I think it needs to happen, but I just don't think it will.

[jj22]

I'd take Marvin over Tobin. If that is our only realistic option.

Marvin did well finding coaches.

[jj22]

(12-06-2020, 10:37 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Let's be honest: this franchise is not bringing in a GM while Mike Brown owns the team. And even if you talk about replacing Tobin as director of player personnel, who with a proven track record would want to come into that role vs actually being a true GM with the title and all of the job duties?

With that said, I think it needs to happen, but I just don't think it will.

Grasping at the mantle of hope from the oft mentioned quote we keep hearing around here...

No one thought we'd spend 145m in free agency either!

[*ochocincos*]

(12-06-2020, 10:41 PM)jj22 Wrote: Grasping at the mantle of hope from the oft mentioned quote we keep hearing around here...

No one thought we'd spend 145m in free agency either!

Haha, good point.

But even if they get an actual GM, what's the likelihood this person is the Zac Taylor of GMs? 

[*Nately120*]

You forgot one:

Mike Brown - Mike Brown is like 90 or something and owns the Bengals. He's their GM we think, but after 30+ years we really don't know who the hell is in charge. He is unlikely to be highly sought-after on the market given the other prospective GMs looking for jobs, but it doesn't really matter because he owns a football team. He probably has a brown recliner in his home.

[J24]

(12-06-2020, 10:47 PM)Nately120 Wrote: You forgot one:

Mike Brown - Mike Brown is like 90 or something and owns the Bengals.  He's their GM we think, but after 30+ years we really don't know who the hell is in charge.  He is unlikely to be highly sought-after on the market given the other prospective GMs looking for jobs, but it doesn't really matter because he owns a football team.  He probably has a brown recliner in his home.

Duke Tolbin is the GM it's been pretty well established by people who run the team. The only thing he doesn't do is contract negotiations that's left up to the blackburns. Mike hasn't been really envolved since 2010.

[*Nately120*]

(12-06-2020, 10:56 PM)J24 Wrote: Duke Tolbin is the GM it's been pretty well established by people who run the team. The only thing he doesn't do is contract negotiations that's left up to the blackburns. Mike hasn't been really envolved since 2010.

That makes sense.  I know it's easy to bring in top-tier talent when you tell them that they're going to do a job and you're going to keep the job title for yourself.  I'm actually a neurologist but my job title is "Hospital Custodian" but my boss hasn't performed an operation since 2010.  It's cool with me, though.

[Bengalholic]

(12-06-2020, 10:37 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Let's be honest: this franchise is not bringing in a GM while Mike Brown owns the team. And even if you talk about replacing Tobin as director of player personnel, who with a proven track record would want to come into that role vs actually being a true GM with the title and all of the job duties?

With that said, I think it needs to happen, but I just don't think it will.

The Bengals hire Arthur Smith as the new head coach...then his daddy can talk Mike into selling him the team...then Pappa FedEx can deliver a new GM. Too easy! 

[Interceptor]

The entire front office needs to be gutted.

[*Nately120*]

(12-06-2020, 11:00 PM)Interceptor Wrote: The entire front office needs to be gutted.

As someone who has been disowned by his family I can attest it isn't as hard as you'd think.

[Sled21]

(12-06-2020, 10:38 PM)jj22 Wrote: I'd take Marvin over Tobin. If that is our only realistic option.

Marvin did well finding coaches.

Marvin took Oggie and Fisher #1 and #2.... who quickly we forget. And he had Paul Alexander as Oline coach forever...

[Bengalholic]

Like I said in a thread I started a few days ago, I think the ideal candidate - if they actually chose to fire Tobin and name an actual GM - is Brian Xanders, for a couple of reasons: he has the right personality / temperament to be able to work with the family, and he has experience in upgrading and revamping an outdated personnel/scouting department. He also did a helluva job drafting with during his time with the Broncos.

I think Mike Borgonzi would be a great option to take a shot on as a first time GM. He's been called the 'secret weapon' in the Chiefs personnel department and he certainly deserves a shot, and I would like to see what he could do here.

[*Nately120*]

(12-06-2020, 11:07 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Marvin took Oggie and Fisher #1 and #2.... who quickly we forget. And he had Paul Alexander as Oline coach forever...

So we had a defensive minded HC who isn't a GM and has a handful of scouts making the final decisions on o-line personnel?  Even if Marvin made those picks you have to admit most franchises would have given him a bit more help.

I guess Marvin hated the Ross pick, so there is a feather in his cap assuming we ever actually find out who the GM of this team is.

[J24]

(12-06-2020, 11:07 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Marvin took Oggie and Fisher #1 and #2.... who quickly we forget. And he had Paul Alexander as Oline coach forever...

That was Tobin

[Storer50]

New gm Jim Lippincott.

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

[*Nately120*]

(12-07-2020, 12:02 AM)J24 Wrote: That was Tobin

The bottom line is whether Mike Brown, Katie, Troy, Duke Tobin, Marvin, Paul Alexander, Jay Gruden, or Zac Taylor are making picks there have been 0 people here who have been employed as, or would be considered as candidates to be GMs for a non-Bengals NFL team within the past 30+ years.

I'm not saying having a GM fixes everything, but not having one sure doesn't seem to be our path to victory.

[jj22]

We've got 3 more weeks of dreaming and I'm going to dream big.

Quote:Indianapolis Colts, Assistant GM: Ed Dodds

According to Matt Miller, Ed Dodds is considered to be the best personnel evaluator in the NFL. He recently was John Schneider’s right-hand man in Seattle and an integral part of their Super Bowl runs. Colts’ GM Chris Ballard poached Dodds from Schneider’s staff after earning five division titles and a Super Bowl title during his tenure.

In Seattle, Dodds was partially responsible for drafting Russell Wilson and assembling the legendary Legion of Boom. He has only augmented his reputation in Indianapolis by drafting Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard, both All-Pros at their respective position. But he also finds value outside of the high-valued rounds in the draft. Denico Autry and Kenny Moore were both acquired via free agency, proving Dodd’s ability to acquire talent through multiple mediums.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/top_general_manager_candidates/s1_16493_33075890

A Dodds/Eberflus combo is growing on me.

[jj22]

Indy's managed the CAP pretty well and aren't big spenders and offseason free agent champions. I'd say in this never going to happen scenario he'd fit the FO draft first, don't overspend on outside players philosophy. We need someone who drafts well enough to fix a couple problem area's on the team through the draft in 5 years worth of shots.

They did trade a first which would be frowned upon by the FO, but that was years into the regime and their decision making was trusted with the track record.