Vikings Request Second Interviews With Five GM Candidates
The Vikings are making progress in their search for a general manager. The team has requested in-person, second-round interviews with interim GM Rob Brzezinski and four assistant GMs from other teams, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. The list includes Reed Burckhardt (Broncos), Terrance Gray (Bills), John McKay (Rams) and Nolan Teasley (Seahawks).
The Vikings have been without a full-time GM since they fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in late January, which occurred three weeks after the end of a disappointing 9-8 season. Brzezinski, who has been with the Vikings in various roles dating back to 1999, has since guided them through the heart of the offseason. As the Vikings’ executive vice president of football operations since 2014, Brzezinski is a serious candidate for a full-time promotion. Perhaps Brzezinski’s familiarity with Vikings ownership and head coach Kevin O’Connell will tip the scale in his favor.
With help from search firm TurnKeyZRG, the Vikings began looking for Adofo-Mensah’s replacement after last month’s draft. In addition to the names mentioned above, they requested initial interviews with Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew, Dolphins AGM Kyle Smith, Titans AGM Dave Ziegler, 49ers AGM R.J. Gillen and Chargers AGM Chad Alexander. After Alexander withdrew from the race on his own last week, it appears the Vikings have now crossed off Agnew, Smith, Ziegler and Gillen as possibilities.
As for the contenders still competing with Brzezinski, a couple have notable Vikings connections. Before becoming the Broncos’ director of player personnel in 2022, Burckhardt worked in various scouting and personnel roles with the Vikings for 13 years. Gray, who has been with the Bills since 2017, was a college scout for the Vikings from 2006-16.
While McKay and Teasley do not carry past Vikings experience, both are important members of two of the NFL’s best front offices. McKay, now in his 10th year with the Rams, has worked with the Super Bowl-winning tandem of GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. He is also familiar with O’Connell, who was the Rams’ offensive coordinator from 2020-21. Teasley has served under Seahawks GM John Schneider, a two-time Super Bowl champion, since 2013.
Vikings Request GM Interview With Terrance Gray
Over three months after the Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, they have identified their first external candidate to replace him. The Vikings have requested an interview with Bills assistant GM Terrance Gray, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Vikings executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski has served as the team’s interim GM since Adofo-Mensah’s ouster in late January. Brzezinski has interest in a full-time promotion, but the Vikings have enlisted search firm TurnkeyZRG to assist in finding the best candidate. If Gray ends up as the choice, it is worth pointing out there is already familiarity between him and the organization. Gray worked as a college scout in Minnesota from 2006-16. Brzezinski was also with the Vikings then.
Since leaving the Vikings in 2017, Gray has taken on multiple roles in the Bills’ Brandon Beane-led front office. Before his promotion to assistant GM last May, Gray spent time as a director of college scouting, an assistant director of player personnel, and a director of player personnel. During his long run in Buffalo, Gray has conducted GM interviews with the Jaguars, Titans, Chargers and Raiders. Those teams went in other directions, though it is possible Gray will finally get a coveted GM opportunity this year. Also a former Chiefs staffer, Gray has worked in NFL front offices since 2003.
If the Vikings select Gray or another outside GM candidate, it may still lead to a promotion for Brzezinski. The Vikings will reportedly consider bumping Brzezinski to a president of football operations-type role, which means he would outrank the GM. The Falcons installed a similar setup when they hired Matt Ryan as president of football and Ian Cunningham as GM earlier this offseason.
Bills Promote Terrance Gray To Assistant GM
Terrance Gray has landed a promotion in the Bills’ front office. He now holds the title of assistant general manager, the team announced on Friday.
Gray spent the past three years as Buffalo’s vice president of player personnel. He has been with the organization since 2017, the beginning of the Sean McDermott-Brandon Beane era. Over that span, Gray has established himself as a key front office contributor with the franchise; as a result, today’s news comes as little surprise.
In recent years, Gray has generated general manager interest around the league. He turned down the opportunity to interview with the Patriots shortly before they tapped Eliot Wolf for the gig, but he did meet with both the Raiders and Chargers for their respective openings. Gray remained on the GM radar during this year’s hiring cycle.
The Jaguars met with Gray once during their general manager search. The Titans, meanwhile, made him a finalist for their opening before ultimately hiring Mike Borgonzi. It can certainly be expected that future general manager vacancies will include Gray in the interview process, and another strong season on the part of the Bills would do nothing to hurt his stock. As Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News notes, Brian Gaine will remain in place, meaning Buffalo will have two AGMs in 2025.
In addition to the Gray news, Friday’s announcement confirmed the recent report that Andrea Gosper was also promoted; she now officially holds the title of assistant to the general manager. In the wake of that move, MK Collins has been named the Bills’ new player personnel coordinator. That department will have a new leader as Gray departs it in advance of at least one more season in Buffalo’s front office.
Jaguars To Conduct GM Interview With Terrance Gray; Internal Candidates In Play?
The list of candidates for the Jaguars’ general manager position continues to grow. As the team searches for Trent Baalke‘s replacement, internal and external staffers are receiving consideration.
Jacksonville will interview Bills vice president of player personnel Terrance Gray this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The summit will take place tomorrow, per Bovada’s Josina Anderson. This will mark the second time Gray has met with an interested team for a GM gig this year. He was a finalist for the Titans’ position before they ultimately tapped Mike Borgonzi for the job.
This is the only GM search remaining, and eight confirmed candidates are in play. Though, more may be on the horizon. Around 10 candidates are believed to be in play, per Rapoport, even though the full list is not yet known. At least one of them is an internal staffer, however. That exec’s name has yet to surface. Interim GM Ethan Waugh remains with the franchise and is playing a key role, albeit as a secondary decision-maker to new HC Liam Coen, during this process.
One of Waugh’s former 49ers coworkers, Josh Williams, will go through with his GM interview Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The San Francisco scouting director is an interesting candidate, as he worked under Baalke with the NFC West club. Baalke hired Williams during his 49ers GM tenure, and he overlapped with Waugh for several years.
The Jags are set to conduct their first round of interviews over Zoom this week, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, and they are aiming to have a GM in place by the time the Combine begins. The annual Indianapolis-based scouting event is set to start Feb. 24, with position drills beginning on the 27th.
As for Gray, he has been on the GM interview circuit for a bit. In addition to his Titans meetings, the veteran Bills exec met with the Chargers and Raiders last year. He was among the execs to decline a Patriots interview, as a few minority staffers correctly assumed the meetings were to check a Rooney Rule box in order to officially promote Eliot Wolf. Gray has been with the Bills since the first Sean McDermott-Brandon Beane offseason (2017) and has held his current title since 2022.
With Buffalo having won five straight AFC East titles and qualified for the playoffs in seven of the eight seasons since the top duo’s arrival, it makes sense teams continue to look into their staffers. Gray is set to make his case for another AFC team. Via PFR’s GM Search Tracker, is how this process looks as interviews begin:
- Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interview requested
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interview requested
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interview requested
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
- James Gladstone, scouting director (Rams): Interview requested
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): To interview 2/12
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Declined interview
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): One of top candidates?
- Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): To interview 2/11
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Titans Setting Up Second GM Interviews
JANUARY 14: The Titans’ second round of interviews will take place in person today, tomorrow and Thursday, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports’ reports. Once all six candidates have been met with, it would come as no surprise if a decision were to be made in relatively short order. Tennessee may well be the first of the three GM-needy teams to move forward with a hire during the 2025 hiring cycle.
JANUARY 13: Needing a GM for the second time in three years, the Titans are moving fast. Less than a week after firing Ran Carthon, Tennessee is setting up second interviews. One of those involves a candidate the team met with in 2023 as well.
Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham met with Titans brass two years ago, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Ryan Poles lieutenant is in line for a second interview this time around. Joining Cunningham in advancing to this stage will be Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi and Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek.
We may not be at the finalist stage yet, though third interviews are virtually unheard of. Still, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray and Colts AGM Ed Dodds are also expected to receive second interviews. Ditto Jon-Eric Sullivan, per Pelissero. While this process is moving swiftly, the Titans still have several candidates in the race.
This batch of candidates includes some who are still in consideration for the Jets and Raiders’ GM gigs. Spytek, a Tom Brady college teammate, is on the Raiders’ radar early. Borgonzi is a Long Island native who has interviewed with the Jets. Sullivan interviewed for the Jets’ job as well. Beyond these three, none of the Titans’ set of second interviewees has been connected to one of the other available jobs. Though, the Raiders have not made official requests yet.
Cunningham would join the Bears’ HC search committee once he is no longer connected to leaving, but for now, the fourth-year Chicago staffer is in limbo. The Bears gave Cunningham an extension after he lost out to Adam Peters for the Commanders’ GM job. The Titans strongly considered Cunningham in 2023, giving him a second interview during the pursuit Carthon eventually won. Cunningham is also believed to have turned down the Cardinals’ GM job that year, with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort winning. Titans brass circling back with another second interview bodes well for Cunningham’s status this year.
Dodds has been on GM carousels previously and has been in the AFC South for seven seasons now. The Colts hired Dodds shortly after Chris Ballard took over in 2017. Dodds interviewed for the Chargers, Panthers and Raiders jobs last year. Gray met with the Bolts and Raiders but declined a Patriots interview request, joining others in doing so as the Patriots looked to satisfy the Rooney Rule for a job most correctly figured would go to Eliot Wolf.
Borgonzi was part of last year’s GM carousel as well, meeting about the Commanders job, but this year marks the first time he has met with multiple teams in the same offseason. The Chiefs have lost Ballard and Brandt Tilis from their front office during Andy Reid‘s tenure. Considering Kansas City’s success over the past several years, it would surprise if Borgonzi was not in the mix for the Jets and Titans’ jobs until the end. Both the Bucs’ assistant GMs, Spytek and Mike Greenberg, are on this year’s GM carousel. Greenberg has interviewed with the Jets. Spytek has been with the Bucs for nearly 10 seasons, two in his current role.
The Titans are giving Chad Brinker significant power, with the team’s former assistant GM — after having usurped Carthon — now president of football operations. That will affect the team’s next GM considerably, significantly affecting this search. Sullivan’s resume should be important here, as he and Brinker worked together for nearly 15 years in Green Bay. Sullivan has been with the Packers since 2004, learning under Ted Thompson and Brian Gutekunst. Brinker featured the same background upon arriving in Nashville.
Via PFR’s General Manager Search Tracker, here is how the Titans’ process looks nearly a week in:
- Matt Berry, senior director of player personnel (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/11
- Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Second interview scheduled
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Second interview scheduled
- Thomas Dimitroff, former general manager (Falcons): Interviewed 1/10
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): To conduct second interview
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): Second interview expected
- Catherine Hickman, assistant general manager (Browns): Interviewed 1/11
- Reggie McKenzie, senior personnel executive (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/10
- John Spytek, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Second interview scheduled
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Second interview scheduled
2025 NFL General Manager Search Tracker
The Titans and Raiders again became part of a GM carousel in the 2020s. Tennessee canned its front office boss after two seasons, while Las Vegas moved on after one. These two joined the Jets, and after two-plus offseason weeks, the Jaguars followed suit by firing Trent Baalke. With the Titans, Raiders and Jets landing on GMs, the Jags are the only team left searching. Here is how the GM market looks:
Updated 2-21-25 (4:00pm CT)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interviewed 2/13
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interviewed 2/13; strong contender?
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interviewed 2/12
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Conducted second interview 2/19
- James Gladstone, scouting director (Rams): Hired
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): Interviewed 2/12
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Declined interview
- Champ Kelly, assistant general manager (Raiders): Interviewed 2/14
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): One of top candidates?; Interviewed 2/13
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, vice president of player personnel (Packers): Conducted second interview 2/20
- Ethan Waugh, interim general manager (Jaguars): Strong candidate?; Interviewed 2/20
- Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): Conducted second interview 2/19
Las Vegas Raiders
- Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interviewed; to conduct second interview 1/20
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interviewed; to conduct second interview 1/20
- Lance Newmark, assistant general manager (Commanders): Potential frontrunner?; interviewed 1/19
- John Spytek, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): To interview; hired
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Interview requested
- Sheldon White, director of pro scouting (Steelers): Interview requested
New York Jets
- Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/8; hired by Titans
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Conducted second interview 1/23
- Thomas Dimitroff, former general manager (Falcons): Interviewed 12/16
- Ray Farmer, senior personnel executive (Rams): Interviewed 1/9
- Brian Gaine, assistant general manager (Bills): Interviewed 1/14
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/10
- Ryan Grigson, senior vice president of player personnel (Vikings): Interviewed 1/11
- Alec Halaby, assistant general manager (Eagles): Interviewed 1/8
- Darren Mougey, assistant general manager (Broncos): Hired
- Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl director: Interviewed 12/19
- Lance Newmark, assistant general manager (Commanders): Conducted second interview 1/21; hire expected; still a candidate
- Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Interviewed 1/2
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): Interviewed 12/17
- Phil Savage, interim general manager (Jets): Interviewed
- Chris Spielman, special assistant to president/CEO (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Interviewed 1/14
Tennessee Titans
- Matt Berry, senior director of player personnel (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/11
- Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Hired
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Conducted second interview 1/15
- Thomas Dimitroff, former general manager (Falcons): Interviewed 1/10
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Conducted second interview 1/14
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): Conducted second interview 1/14
- Catherine Hickman, assistant general manager (Browns): Interviewed 1/11
- Reggie McKenzie, senior personnel executive (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/10
- John Spytek, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Conducted second interview 1/16
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Conducted second interview 1/16
Titans Request GM Interviews With Mike Borgonzi, Terrance Gray, Catherine Hickman
Searching for a new GM for a second time in three years, the Titans are moving forward after firing Ran Carthon. They have sent out three GM interview requests, with familiar names — albeit one with a slight adjustment — surfacing early.
Tennessee sent out interview slips to Kansas City assistant GM Mike Borgonzi and Cleveland AGM Catherine Hickman, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Hickman was formerly Catherine Raiche; she has been with the Browns since the 2022 offseason. The team also sent a request to meet with Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports.
Hickman remains one of the frontrunners to become the NFL’s first modern-era woman GM. She has been part of the GM carousel in the past, having interviewed for the Vikings’ top front office job in 2022. Hickman came over from the Eagles in 2022, being one of four Philly execs to earn an assistant GM job elsewhere that offseason. Hickman arrived in Cleveland months after the team’s Deshaun Watson trade/extension, which may well be important given where that arrangement has headed.
The other team in need at GM, the Jets, is interviewing Borgonzi today. Because the Chiefs earned a first-round bye, their GM and HC candidates — thus far Borgonzi and Matt Nagy, respectively — can meet with clubs virtually this week. Borgonzi has been with the Chiefs since 2009, predating Andy Reid‘s tenure. The Scott Pioli-era hire has climbed the ladder during the Reid-Brett Veach years, however, becoming the AFC superpower’s assistant GM in 2021. Borgonzi has a strong relationship with Titans president of football ops Chad Brinker, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds, so this will be something to follow closely in the days to come.
Gray joins Brian Gaine as Bills execs to receive an interview slip during this year’s cycle; the Jets requested a Gaine audience. Gray has been part of past GM cycles, most recently interviewing for the Chargers and Raiders’ jobs. He declined a Patriots interview, joining multiple others, as most correctly predicted Eliot Wolf would remain in charge post-Bill Belichick. Gray will have another opportunity now.
2024 NFL General Manager Search Tracker
With the Patriots hiring Eliot Wolf as their de facto GM after having moved on from Bill Belichick, all five teams in need of a GM have filled their post this offseason. If other teams decide to make GM changes, they’ll be added to this list.
Updated 5-11-24 (4:35pm CT)
Carolina Panthers
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): To conduct second interview
- Mike Disner, chief operating officer (Lions): Withdrew from consideration
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 1/14
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Interview requested
- Alec Halaby, assistant general manager (Eagles): To conduct second interview
- Khai Harley, assistant general manager (Saints): Interview requested
- Champ Kelly, interim general manager (Raiders): Interviewed 1/11
- Nick Matteo, vice president of football administration (Ravens): Interviewed 1/15
- Will McClay, vice president of player personnel (Cowboys): Withdrew from consideration
- Dan Morgan, assistant general manager (Panthers): Hired
- Samir Suleiman, vice president of football administration (Panthers): To interview
- Brandt Tilis, vice president of football operations (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/15
Las Vegas Raiders
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interview requested
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 1/12; conducted second interview
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): Interviewed 1/12
- Champ Kelly, interim general manager (Raiders): Conducted second interview 1/15; in play to stay with team
- Kelly Kleine Van Calligan, executive director of football operations (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Adam Peters, assistant general manager (49ers): Interview requested
- Tom Telesco, former general manger (Chargers): Hired
Los Angeles Chargers
- Dawn Aponte, chief football administrative officer (NFL): Interviewed 1/22
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Conducted second interview 1/24
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interviewed 1/14
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 1/17
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): Interviewed 1/16
- Joe Hortiz, director of player personnel (Ravens): Hired
- Jeff Ireland, assistant general manager (Saints): Interviewed 1/17
- Jeff King, co-director of player personnel (Bears): Interviewed 1/19
- Will McClay, vice president of player personnel (Cowboys): Withdrew from consideration
- Adam Peters, assistant general manager (49ers): Interview requested
- JoJo Wooden, interim general manager (Chargers): Interviewed 1/11
New England Patriots
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Declined interview request
- Terrance Gray, director of player personnel (Bills): Declined interview request
- Quentin Harris, former VP of player personnel (Cardinals): Declined interview request
- Brandon Hunt, director of scouting (Eagles): Interviewed 5/7-5/8
- Samir Suleiman, former director of football administration (Panthers): Interviewed 5/8
- Eliot Wolf, de facto general manager (Patriots): Hired
Washington Commanders
- Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Glenn Cook, assistant general manager (Browns): Interviewed 1/9
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interviewed 1/10; finalist
- Alec Halaby, assistant general manager (Eagles): Interviewed 1/10
- Will McClay, vice president of player personnel (Cowboys): Withdrew from consideration
- Adam Peters, assistant general manager (49ers): Hired
Bills’ Terrance Gray Turns Down Patriots Interview Request; Eliot Wolf Favorite For Job
Seeking to install someone not named Bill Belichick atop their personnel pyramid for the first time since the 20th century, the Patriots are having some issues launching a true search. A third candidate for their top front office position has turned down an interview.
The Patriots requested a meeting with Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, who adds Gray “politely” declined the interview. Gray’s refusal to meet with the Pats follows Bengals exec Trey Brown and veteran personnel exec Quentin Harris doing the same.
Gray, who interviewed for both the Chargers and Raiders’ GM jobs in January, has been with the Bills since 2017. Bills GM Brandon Beane hired Gray upon arrival seven years ago. Gray has held the title of Bills director of player personnel since 2022. The Bills reshuffled their front office — a process that led to the team elevating short-lived Texans GM Brian Gaine to assistant GM — following assistant GM Joe Schoen landing the Giants’ GM position two years ago.
Twenty years in as an NFL staffer, Gray logged 11 years in Minnesota under Rick Spielman and previously spent time in Kansas City as well. Gray’s presence during the Bills’ rise into an AFC power — after 17 missed playoff brackets between the Music City Miracle and the first Beane-Sean McDermott year — has naturally made him an attractive GM candidate.
The Pats appear to be having a difficult time convincing candidates this position will not ultimately go to Eliot Wolf, who has been operating as the team’s de facto GM for months. The veteran exec is viewed as the expected hire, Breer adds. This will be rather interesting, seeing as Wolf already shepherded the Patriots through a draft that produced the team’s hopeful franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. Robert Kraft letting Wolf, a Patriots staffer since March 2020, make that decision and then hiring someone else to run the team post-draft would be a strange shift for a team settling in post-Belichick.
A recent report suggested the Patriots had complied with the Rooney Rule, but the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed offers that is not currently the case. Rumored to be planning a true search for a front office boss for a while, the Patriots complied with the Rooney Rule before the draft, per Kyed, due to no singular presence being atop the FO hierarchy. Now that the Pats are planning to name a front office leader, they need to interview at least two external minority candidates for GM and HC posts. Brown, Gray and Harris are each Black, but thus far, no known interviews with any external candidates have taken place.
Chargers Request Seven GM Interviews
8:09pm: The Chargers also put in a request to interview another Bears exec. Co-director of player personnel Jeff King will meet with the Bolts, ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry tweets.
The former Panthers and Cardinals tight end has been with the Bears since 2015, being with the team throughout the Ryan Pace regime. Poles moved King, 40, to his current post in 2022. This will be King’s first GM interview; he met with the Panthers about their assistant GM job in 2021.
5:58pm: Add Ian Cunningham to this list. The Bears’ assistant GM also received an interview request from the Chargers, Rapoport tweets. Cunningham joined Brown as an Eagles staffer who became an assistant GM in 2022, becoming Ryan Poles‘ right-hand man. Set to to have an important say in Chicago’s decision on Justin Fields, Cunningham also turned down the Arizona GM job last year.
2:43pm: The Chargers will make a belated push out of the starting blocks on their general manager search. Seeking to fill the role Tom Telesco held for 11 years, the AFC West team has sent out five GM interview requests thus far.
Former Dolphins GM-turned-Saints assistant GM Jeff Ireland is among them, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Also included here is Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters, Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown and Bills VP of player personnel Terrance Gray also received Bolts interview requests, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
This marks Ireland’s first entrance onto this year’s GM carousel. An Ireland-Sean Payton reunion has been rumored, but after rumblings of embattled Broncos GM George Paton being on the chopping block, it is looking like the Payton-Paton setup will remain in place. This would hinder an Ireland Denver move. Ireland worked with Payton for seven years in New Orleans, helping revive the franchise after a mid-2010s lull.
Given considerable credit for a Saints impact 2017 draft class that included Marshon Lattimore, Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk and Trey Hendrickson, Ireland has been the Saints’ college scouting director since his arrival in 2015. Ireland, 53, is still better known for his Dolphins years. He spent six years as Miami’s GM, but after the team (during Matt Cassel‘s QB1 year in New England) won the 2008 AFC East title, no more playoff appearances commenced. Still, Ireland brings more experience to the table than most on this year’s GM market. He has also interviewed for a few jobs — the Panthers, Lions and Bears — from 2021-22.
Although Jerry and Stephen Jones still make the final calls, McClay has been indispensable for the Cowboys over the past several years. Dallas has continually hit on first-round picks, with fourth-rounder Dak Prescott quickly becoming the franchise’s centerpiece player. McClay, 57, has been with the Cowboys since 2003 and has not been a regular during GM hiring periods. His most recent connection to a GM job came when he turned down a Texans interview request in 2018; it will be interesting to see if McClay agrees to the Chargers meeting.
Peters has received requests from the Commanders and Raiders. It would not be surprising to see every team request a meeting with the 49ers’ assistant GM, given the success the team has achieved during the Kyle Shanahan–John Lynch years. Gray is on the Raiders’ list as well, with Brown — following his second year as the Giants’ assistant GM — on the Panthers’ radar.

