Power Ranking Every General Manager in the NFL 32-1
The 2011 NFL season is going to be one of the strangest of all time.
Assuming a labor deal gets done at some point this summer or fall, general manager’s across the league will have to make a bunch of important decisions with almost no time to think about it.
The teams with successful off-seasons in 2011 will have a general manager that is experienced, intelligent and able to work extremely fast and efficiently.
So where does your favorite team stand?
Based off player and coaching personnel decisions and history with the NFL draft—here are the power rankings for all 32 G.M’s in the league.
32. Al Davis- Oakland Raiders
1 of 32
He used to be highly successful and popular in Oakland.
But after JaMarcus Russell, Robert Gallery, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Lane Kiffin, and the whole Tom Cable fiasco…Davis has earned his spot at the bottom of this list.
The ridiculous off-season spending of Davis has screwed up the entire market and other G.M’s across the league are furious about it.
One guy is inflating the market…that makes Davis worthy of No. 32. It’s time for the aging owner/G.M to hire a smart G.M, while he sits back and signs the checks.
31. Mike Brown- Cincinnati Bengals
2 of 32
Public enemy No. 1 in Cincinnati, Brown is the biggest penny pincher in the NFL. He somehow convinced the city to pay for his new stadium. Now he is asking a city with serious budget deficits for over $40M in “upkeep” fees for the stadium. Brown won't spend a dime of his own money.
He has threatened to move the team if his demands aren’t met.
Nice guy huh?
The Bengals have the lightest scouting department in the league, and Brown is the de facto G.M. Anybody remember the HBO Hard Knocks episode where Brown suggested a linebacker convert to a tight end as the rest of the coaches drop their heads in disbelief?
This is the man that makes all of the personnel decisions and rarely do things work out. Drafting Andre Smith No. 6 overall would make you think he was needed right away. Not in Bengal world. The negotiations took almost all of training camp and he broke his foot as soon as he was finally signed.
Smith is just one of the many players that have been low balled by Brown with their contract negotiations before signing late, then never reaching their potential.
The Bengals have absolutely no chance of winning a title with Brown running the show...worse thing is—he's not going anywhere.
Now you understand where Carson Palmer is coming from.
30. Gene Smith- Jacksonville Jaguars
3 of 32
Jack Del Rio has been the head coach for eight seasons in Jacksonville, and has won a grand total of one playoff game.
Smith has been way too patient with his average team and his recent draft history has been less than stellar.
Derrick Harvey has never panned out as the eighth overall pick in the ’08 draft. The Jags traded the 26th pick, two third-round picks and a fourth to move up and snag him.
The team is still paying for that move. Smith wasn’t in charge, but was one of the members of the staff that pushed for the move.
Tyson Alualu was the 10th pick of the first round in ’10 and was the biggest reach in the draft.
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29. Buddy Nix- Buffalo Bills
4 of 32
He is 70-years old and seems a bit out of touch with today’s NFL. He hasn’t drafted one single impact player in his two-year tenure in an organization that is just plain old.
Owner Ralph Wilson is now 92-years old and head coach Chan Gailey is 59.
Some young and energetic personnel need to be infused in this stale franchise.
28. Brian Xanders- Denver Broncos
5 of 32
He gave former head coach Josh McDaniels way too much power and his team is now paying the price.
The Broncos have really struggled to find impact players on the defensive side of the ball in the past two drafts, and have really swung and missed in free agency.
They traded Peyton Hillis away for a third string QB and signed free agent busts' LaMont Jordan, J.J. Arrington and Andra Davis.
Xanders future is now tied to Tim Tebow, the QB they drafted up to select...hold your breath Bronco fans.
27. Bruce Allen- Washington Redskins
6 of 32
He got stuck with the whole Albert Haynesworth situation and he hasn’t handled it well. It looks as if they are going to get another begrudging season from the most over paid player in the league.
Allen was also the architect of the Donovan McNabb trade. How’d that work out?
He made the right move in cutting the expensive Portis, but this 'Skins team still has a long way to go.
26. Jeff Ireland- Miami Dolphins
7 of 32
He is the guy that is famous for asking Dez Bryant if his mom was a prostitute...not a great thing to be known for.
Ireland hasn’t made a single impact move since his boy Bill Parcells left. Acquiring Brandon Marshall hasn’t paid off as the ‘Fins are stuck in mediocrity.
Ireland has the dubious task of finding a serviceable QB for his team in 2011—or else.
25. Jerry Angelo- Chicago Bears
8 of 32
The Bears have been able to stay competitive in spite of their G.M.
The whole running back debacle of a few years back with Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones was ridiculous. Drafting two backs high in the draft and giving up on both of them within only a few seasons? Not good.
I'm sure it angers Bears fans to watch the duo blossom for other teams.
Then there was the whole Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton fiasco. It set the team back two to three seasons.
He gave up too much to acquire Jay Cutler and the effects of all of the lost draft picks will be felt very soon.
24. Trent Baalke- San Francisco 49ers
9 of 32
Not much to evaluate with Baalke since he was just hired. How he handles the QB situation will decide his legacy.
This is an incomplete grade.
23. John Schneider- Seattle Seahawks
10 of 32
The Seahawks have made about a million roster moves since Schneider took over a year ago.
Acquiring Marshawn Lynch and Mike Williams proved to be huge pickups in route to the Seattle’s playoff birth.
But then again, he did sign Charlie Whitehurst to a multi-year deal.
22. Rod Graves- Arizona Cardinals
11 of 32
He has been the G.M. of the team for almost 15 years and the Cardinals have been awful for almost his entire tenure.
Take out the Kurt Warner era and the Cards have consistently been one of the most disappointing franchises in the league.
All eyes on how he handles the QB situation in the 2011 draft.
21. Rick Smith- Houston Texans
12 of 32
Smith gets big points for sticking his neck out and drafting Mario Williams over Reggie Bush.
But other than Williams and Brian Cushing…the Texans defense is the worst in the league.
Smith has to do a better job of finding talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Landing Matt Schaub was a shrewd move that helped the franchise forget about the bust that was David Carr.
20. Billy Devaney- St. Louis Rams
13 of 32
He inherited a team with little talent and has done a decent job of re-filing the cabinet.
Drafting Sam Bradford No. 1 was an easy choice so he doesn’t get a ton of credit for that. While the offense looks to have promise, it’s still a work in progress.
Hiring Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator didn’t sit well with Bradford. It will be interesting to see how their relationship develops.
19. Marty Hurney- Carolina Panthers
14 of 32
Hurney has always made safe and solid picks in the past, but has a huge decision to make with the No. 1 pick in this years draft.
Drafting Jimmy Clausen in the second round last year has potential bust status written all over it. Hurney’s job may be tied to the success of Clausen—not good.
18. Howie Roseman- Philadelphia Eagles
15 of 32
His team was highly successful in his first season as G.M., but considering head coach Andy Reid makes almost all of the major decisions, Roseman is more of a figurehead.
Franchising Michael Vick is a curious move that may back fire on them with another elite season from their QB.
The 2011 draft will say a lot about Roseman and his ability to be a solid G.M.
17. Mike Reinfeldt- Tennessee Titans
16 of 32
He won’t hesitate when it comes to cutting ties with players over the age of 30 and who are on the downside of their careers. His first few draft classes since becoming general manager in 2007 have proven that Reinfeldt knows how to size up defensive players.
Outside of drafting Chris Johnson, Reinfeldt has whiffed on numerous picks.
16. Thomas Dimitroff- Atlanta Falcons
17 of 32
He won 2008 NFL Executive of the Year after landing head coach Mike Smith, drafting Matt Ryan and signing Michael Turner.
But he has had plenty of questionable calls in recent drafts. He has selected injury-prone players like Sam Baker, Peria Jerry and William Moore—none of which have yet to pan out.
His drafting ability is still a work in progress.
15. Rick Spielman- Minnesota Vikings
18 of 32
Not a lot to complain about with Spielman. He has brought in Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Jared Allen.
I have a hunch he didn’t have too much say in the whole Brett Favre saga so he gets a pass for that. But he should have fired Brad Childress earlier than he did, and it might have salvaged the disastrous 2010 campaign.
14. Tom Heckert- Cleveland Browns
19 of 32
He has only been the G.M. for a single season, but his 2010 has been terrific so far. He scored Joe Haden, T.J. Ward, and Colt McCoy—all of which have been instant factors for the Browns.
The jury is still out, but Heckert is off to a good start.
13. Jerry Jones- Dallas Cowboys
20 of 32
This ranking is mostly based off his success in the 1990s when he resided over one of the last NFL dynasties we have witnessed.
The absurd amount of assets he gave up for Roy Williams made no sense. Signing Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens did little to help the franchise.
But he did find Tony Romo off the scrap heap and made the right call in hiring Jason Garrett as his head coach.
He is the best owner/G.M. in the league…but that’s certainly not saying much.
12. A.J. Smith- San Diego Chargers
21 of 32
Smith has made some outstanding draft picks in Phillip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Antonio Cromartie. He may have let Drew Brees go, but considering the questions swirling around his shoulder…taking the risk with Rivers took guts and it has paid off.
Yet he has blown the running back situation of late. Why would he let Michael Turner go when Smith knew LaDainian Tomlinson days as a Charger were over?
He screwed up the handling of Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeil contracts. They accomplished very little, and factored into their disappointing 2010 season.
11. Martin Mayhew- Detroit Lions
22 of 32
Following in the footsteps of Matt Millen hasn't proven to be too difficult for Mayhew.
Convincing Jerry Jones to give-up a first, a third and sixth-round pick for the overrated Roy Williams was brilliant.
Hiring defensive guru Jim Schwartz as head coach looks to be the right choice.
Mayhew has branded his cornerstone players by drafting Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best, Ndamukong Suh, and DeAndre Levy.
The future of the Lions is as bright as it’s been in the past decade.
10. Mark Dominik- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23 of 32
He has been on fire in his first two seasons drafting players for the Bucs. Josh Freeman has been a savior for the team.
He has hit on almost every pick and the Bucs are relevant again because of it. Fans in Tampa should be fired up to have Dominik on their side. This franchise has a bright future and Dominik will get a major bump up on the list if he has another good draft.
9. Jerry Reese- New York Giants
24 of 32
Reese relies on college production over potential when evaluating prospects. He also tends to be conventional in that he doesn’t look to make many deals on draft day. His strategy has made the Giants a contender for the past half-decade plus.
Keeping Tom Coughlin around is a questionable decision and one that might back fire on Reese if the Giants struggle out of the gate next season.
8. Mike Tannenbaum- New York Jets
25 of 32
He is a big fan of dealing most of his picks to move up in the draft or to acquire veteran talent. But he usually fares well when he does draft players. Shonn Greene and Dustin Keller are two draft picks that have become crucial members of the Jets offense.
He isn’t afraid to take a flier on a player with character issues (Santonio Holmes) and isn’t afraid to take on a guy that is over the hill (Jason Taylor, L.T).
Tannenbaum also signed Rex Ryan. That deserves a lot of credit in itself.
7. Scott Pioli- Kansas City Chiefs
26 of 32
This ranking is mostly based off his tenure with the Patriots.
The Chiefs have gotten back on the map with Pioli in control. Drafting Jamaal Charles and trading for Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel were the right moves…but I’m not a fan of head coach Todd Haley.
The roster itself is looking good, but getting a new head coach would make this team even better. It remains to be seen if Pioli would throw loyalty out the window and axe his buddy if he realizes the ineffectiveness of Haley.
6. Kevin Colbert- Pittsburgh Steelers
27 of 32
Being extremely loyal to the head coach is something this organization has always preached and Colbert has followed suit. Never for a second is it not understood that Mike Tomlin is in complete control of his team, and has nothing but support from the front office.
The behind the scenes decision maker likes to draft players with unrefined talent and attributes. Many of those unheralded players are molded over time and begin to produce in their second or third seasons. Colbert places a premium on the draft since it doesn’t typically spend much money in free agency.
5. Mickey Loomis- New Orleans Saints
28 of 32
Anytime you can turn a 3-and-13 team into a Super Bowl winner, you are doing something right.
Loomis made one of the deals of the century when they signed Drew Brees to a six-year $60M contract. Landing a guy like Marques Colston in the seventh round is one of the best value picks in recent memory.
Other additions such as Robert Meachem, Malcolm Jenkins and Tracy Porter are all great finds by Loomis.
It will be interesting to see how he handles Reggie Bush’s $11.8M contract.
4. Bill/Chris Polian- Indianapolis Colts
29 of 32
Bill has one of the greatest track records in NFL history. He drafted Peyton Manning and Dwight Freeney and hired Tony Dungy just to name a few.
But he has recently handed over almost all of the G.M. responsibilities to his son Chris.
Chris has cut Bob Sanders, but is still unproven other wise.
3. Ozzie Newsome- Baltimore Ravens
30 of 32
His history of drafting explosive defensive players is second to none. The Ravens have had an incredible run of consistently being one of the top defensive units in the NFL.
Michael Oher, Joe Flacco, and Ray Rice are all offensive picks of the past three years that have made the Ravens a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The 2010 class has had a rough start with Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody. It’s too early to call the class a bust…but it’s a rare misfire for “The Wizard”.
2. Ted Thompson- Green Bay Packers
31 of 32
Everybody despised him when he told Brett Favre to beat it, but it was Thompson whom got the last laugh as he watched Favre’s replacement lead the Pack to a championship, while he saw Favre’s career spiral down the toilet.
The guts it took to tell a Green Bay legend to leave was incredible, and his courage should not be forgotten.
Guys like JerMichael Finley, Clay Matthews and Jordy Nelson prove that Thompson knows what he is doing when it comes to the draft as well.
He is patient while always looking towards the future; Thompson is a great G.M. that any team would love to have.
Well, every team but one…
1. Floyd Reese/Bill Belichick- New England Patriots
32 of 32
This two-man show has been incredible in their two seasons together. While Belichick gets the final say, Reese has plenty of input into the decisions made in Foxboro.
Reese is a veteran front office guy that specializes in using details from pro days and annual scouting combines to identify the personnel that best fit New England’s system.
Check out the guys they have picked up in the past two seasons:
Devin McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Spikes, Aaron Hernandez, Patrick Chung, Jerod Mayo and Brandon Meriweather.
The Pats have two first round picks this year. This is not fair for the rest of the league.
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