The Colts aren’t rushing through their hunt for a new general manager, and have identified “no specific timetable” during which they will make a decision on their next personnel chief, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. The process isn’t expected to reach a conclusion for at least another week to 10 days, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
[RELATED: 2017 GM Search Tracker]
Indianapolis and owner Jim Irsay finished up its first round of interviews, and follow-up meetings are to be scheduled, per Holder. Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard and Packers director of football operations Eliot Wolf are considered the favorites for the position, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), although incumbent candidate Jimmy Raye III — currently acting as the Colts’ interim GM — has also been mentioned as the leader in the clubhouse.
The six contenders — a list that includes the Seahawks’ Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner, the Vikings’ George Paton, and those listed above — are meeting with Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano as part of the interview exercise, tweets Garafolo, rightly noting that the “dynamic” between Pagano and the next general manager will be critical. The mandatory retaining of Pagano is a small barrier for some candidates, per Holder, but the vacancy is still viewed as highly attractive.
“What a great situation,” one of six contenders anonymously told Holder. “But you’ve got to fix that defense. It’s old.”