Eagles vice president of football operations Andrew Berry is a popular man these days. The Browns are interested in Berry for their GM vacancy, and the Panthers also requested an interview with Berry, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (via Twitter). Adam Schefter says Carolina wanted to interview Berry for its executive vice president position (Twitter link), but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Eagles denied the request (Twitter link).
Because the Panthers wanted to hire Berry for a role that doesn’t include final roster authority, Philadelphia has the right to block the interview. The Panthers already have Marty Hurney in place as GM, and recent reports indicated that Hurney and new head coach Matt Rhule would collaborate in finding an assistant GM. But Panthers owner David Tepper wants to add multiple people to his front office, and Berry’s significant personnel experience intrigued him.
A Harvard graduate, Berry first entered the NFL in 2009 as a scouting assistant in the Colts’ front office. He was eventually promoted through a number of roles, and he ultimately served as Indianapolis’ pro scouting coordinator from 2012-15 before leaving for Cleveland, where he spent the 2016-18 campaigns as vice president of player personnel.
Though his three years in Cleveland did not go particularly well, Berry is currently considered the favorite for the Browns’ GM job, where he would work with new head coach Kevin Stefanski and chief strategist Paul DePodesta.
I really don’t understand the logic of restricting an employees career path in this way. Are you going to get more effort and efficiency from someone by holding them hostage?
It’s unclear if the Panthers gig is a promotion over what he currently has in Philly, and even if it is, it doesn’t come with final roster authority like he would have with the Browns. It makes sense that an employer could block a lateral (or mostly lateral) move. If Carolina really wants him, they’d need to up the ante, which would complicate Marty Hurney’s role.
To my thinking the better business approach is to let employees go to interviews then see if you can match what was offered if you want to retain them. That way there are no hard feelings or resentments and the possibility of a renewed partnership some time in the future remains a viable option.
But he’s already under a contract with Philly. Not the same is you or I would go on an interview
They could expand his role in-house and give him a new contract if they want him to stick around longer too. Patriots kinda just boned their guy. VP of Football Ops and GM, I mean what are the differences now as Rory said.