This is the 16th edition of my future GM list, and I wanted to open this year’s discussion with an emphasis on a simple fact—the job isn’t what it once was.
The guy you saw doing the job in Draft Day can’t just be a glorified scout anymore. The bulging staffs of the 32 teams is evident in the additions to existing practice facilities and construction of new ones. Those shovels in the ground signify the added complexity to the football operations of most of these franchises.
There are analytics departments. There are sports science staffers. There are more cap specialists. There are wellness centers on site. And so the GM, who was once simply overseeing a bunch of guys with stopwatches and rental cars, oversaw a lot more in 2024.
To me, that’s led to two things that could affect this year’s market.
The first is the splitting of the job itself, with some teams believing it’s simply too much for one person to manage effectively. The Rams, Lions and Panthers employ a GM to oversee the personnel staff (Les Snead, Brad Holmes, Dan Morgan), and a separate VP to manage all that falls under the umbrella of “football operations” (Tony Pastoors, Mike Disner, Brandt Tilis).
That will affect our list in that Pastoors, Disner and Tilis won’t appear, because I view them pretty much at the level of a general manager—with potential to become team presidents.
The second would be what I’ve heard on the Jets GM search, and even some of the coaching searches, which is that experience will be at a premium for some franchises. This one’s interesting because, in my mind, it could get guys second chances as general managers.
Ex-Titans GM Jon Robinson and ex-Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff have already interviewed with the Jets. Ryan Grigson, another ex-GM who built playoff teams, deserves another look with his time in Indianapolis now having more context, and the success he’s had as the No. 2 to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in building this year’s Minnesota Vikings. Ex-Texans GM Brian Gaine, who got caught in the crossfire in Houston, has had similar success in Buffalo, and makes some sense for a team like the Jets. Forgotten name George Kokinis, once the Browns GM, has done a ton of good work in his second stint in Baltimore. And another Cleveland expat, Ray Farmer, has become an important person in the Rams front office, and might merit another look.
Meanwhile, ex-Chiefs GM Scott Pioli could certainly be one to think about in an over-the-top role—where he could use his experience to help younger leaders excel.
And there other non-traditional candidates, like NFL Chief Football Administrative Officer Dawn Aponte and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. I’d expect those two to make themselves available to teams (Riddick’s already interviewed with the Jets; Aponte's talked casually with them, but my feeling is she'd be looking, somewhere, for the type of over-the-top role we referenced with Pioli).
So anyway, the point is, there may be more ways to crack this egg than there used to be, mostly because there’s more to think about than there ever has been before.
But this list has always about trying to identify the people who’ve come up to, are getting close to, or are at the point where they’re ready for the big job.
As always, there’s a lot to work through here, because there are a lot of good folks in the pipeline. Which is why, before we dive in, I’d offer a few who’ve been knocking on the door and are right there on the doorstep—Kansas City’s Mike Borgonzi, Tampa Bay’s John Spytek and Mike Greenberg, Dallas’ Will McClay, Green Bay’s Jon-Eric Sullivan, Detroit’s Ray Agnew, and Chicago’s Ian Cunningham. They’re all listed below, amid a couple dozen others.
Let’s dive in!
Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew: Brad Holmes’s right-hand man has a vast, and diverse, volume of experiences—as a player, a player-development guy, a scout and now an executive—and brings an Ozzie Newsome-type presence as a leader. His ability to judge and evaluate players on a personal level is something that’s been highlighted by everyone who’s been around him too, and it’s pretty obvious to see in the job that the Lions have done in bringing in the right kinds of people the last three years. So it’s easy to see where a team who likes Aaron Glenn or Ben Johnson would be interested in pairing them with Agnew.
Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander: Alexander’s scouting acumen was known a decade ago in Baltimore, where he was hidden under a deep roster of Ravens scouts. Joe Douglas plucked him from there to work for the Jets, where he helped build a good team before going to the Chargers with ex-Ravens colleague Joe Hortiz, who offered to make him the No. 2, after he’d been the No. 3 in New York. On top of his ability to evaluate, Alexander’s shown natural leadership and has been a key voice for the Chargers over the last year.
Seahawks senior director of player personnel Matt Berry: Seattle’s quietly rebuilt its roster over the last couple of years with the picks that came back in the Russell Wilson trade, and been in contention if each of its first three post-Wilson years, with the final one being a post-Pete Carroll year, too. Berry had long been seen as one of GM John Schneider’s secret weapons as a road scout, then was promoted from college scouting director to his current role, which has given him the in-office experience he needed. That’s given those around Berry a look at the organized, detailed approach he took in college scouting.
Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi: This is one name, like Adam Peters last year, that seems due, if not overdue, to run his own show. Borgonzi and GM Brett Veach came up alongside each other as young execs in Kansas City and there isn’t a decision the latter makes without the former’s involvement. Borgonzi also has a background working in the New England system, having broken into scouting under Pioli. And he’s helped to build Kansas City’s player development machine—which has allowed the team to stay balanced as the cost of the Chiefs’ cornerstones has risen. I’d be surprised if every team with an opening didn’t take a look at him.
Chiefs senior director of player personnel Mike Bradway: The son of former Jets GM Terry Bradway spent a decade cutting his teeth as a scout, primarily on the college side, with the Eagles, before Veach, an ex-Philly scout, made him one of his first hires after the 2018 draft. Bradway’s become an important part of the team’s operation since, and Veach and Borgonzi have relied on him on the college side. While he’s been there, the Chiefs have rebuilt the offensive line and overhauled the defense around star DT Chris Jones. Bradway may be a year or two away, but his name will come up soon.
Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown: The Giants’ down cycle will make Brown a tougher sell, but he’s been around plenty of winning in Indianapolis and Philadelphia, and, as a guy who’s got a law degree, made a mark coming up on the pro scouting side. In New York, he’s been side-by-side with GM Joe Schoen in all facets of the operation, giving him a solid handle on different pieces of the job.
Browns assistant GM Glenn Cook: Still young, and now in his ninth season with the Browns, Cook has interviewed for jobs with the Commanders, Bears, Vikings and Titans over the last three years. In his time in Cleveland, Indianapolis and Green Bay, the former Miami Hurricanes linebacker has learned to blend his football background with more advanced scouting methods. This may not be the year, based on where the Browns are, but he should continue to be in the mix for GM jobs.
Giants executive advisor to the GM Ryan Cowden: Cowden was very well thought of as he rose through the Titans organization, after cutting his teeth alongside Bills GM Brandon Beane in Carolina. Then, tumult hit Tennessee over the last few years and Cowden was initially named interim GM after Jon Robinson was fired, only to depart in the transition over to Ran Carthon and Chad Brinker. One guy who advocated for the Titans to name Cowden full-time GM in 2023 was Mike Vrabel—and now there’s a widespread belief that Cowden would be atop Vrabel’s list, if he lands in a place that’d allow him to bring a GM.
Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham: Ryan Poles’s No. 2 has been knocking on the door, interviewing for four GM jobs, making it to the final round of three searches and being offered one (Arizona) gig over the last couple years. Cunningham’s experience coming up in two of the NFL’s best organizations—the Ravens and Eagles—and now as a No. 2 in Chicago brings appeal. While the Bears haven’t lived up to expectations, there is talent on the roster, and Cunningham’s been involved in all aspects of football operations, from cap to analytics to sports science. If Indy were ever to make a change, there’s some thought that Shane Steichen would be a champion for Cunningham to get the job there.
Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds: Dodds has long been one of the NFL’s most respected evaluators, as an integral part of the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom build, and Indy GM Chris Ballard’s right-hand man over the last seven years. He was a finalist for the Panthers job last year and also interviewed for openings with the Chargers and Raiders. Indy’s uneven 2024 could stall his candidacy a bit. But teams that are looking to put a scout’s scout into the GM chair will be attracted to this football lifer.
Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray: Gray’s a rising name that interviewed with the Raiders and Chargers last year, and has been recommended to teams coming out of the accelerator program. Having cut his teeth on the college scouting side, Gray’s role grew into a global one with the departures of Joe Schoen and Dan Morgan a couple years back, and he’s worked on the pro side, the cap, and through CBA issues, while the Bills have made him a more forward-facing member of the front office (giving him some exposure to the media). It’s worth mentioning that ex-Vikings GM Rick Spielman, helping to lead the Jets search, hired him in Minnesota.
Buccaneers assistant GM Mike Greenberg: Greenberg’s roots are on the cap side, and his work in keeping Tampa’s books clean, and without debt, allowed for not just the run to land Tom Brady in 2020, but also the urgency with which the Bucs would build around Brady. Then, he was able to flush out the team debt built during the Brady years to effectively have them reset in 2024 (without the Bucs’ record taking much of a hit at all). Greenberg, fellow assistant GM John Spytek and GM Jason Licht have rebuilt the roster in the meantime, going from one of the league’s oldest teams to one of its youngest in just a year’s time. Also worth noting here—Greenberg’s a Long Island native who was once Mike Tannenbaum’s intern at the Jets.
Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby: Halaby’s helped build perhaps the NFL’s best roster and has been integral for GM Howie Roseman in marrying traditional player evaluation to analytics within the team’s scouting department. Before graduating into a VP role, overseeing the team’s operations side, Halaby worked alongside Roseman, learning the scouting side as he went. With a Harvard education, and a deep background in analytics, he’s going to appeal to certain owners looking for a non-traditional hire. Halaby would be that more than the hybrid candidates that we’ve seen rise lately.
Saints assistant GM Khai Harley: Harley has been the one on the mat for the Saints as the organization has performed cap gymnastics for the last decade-plus to keep a talented core intact—with a strong emphasis on drafting and developing a middle class that’s enabled the approach. It hasn’t always been perfect, but from a team-building standpoint, Harley’s done and seen a lot, to the point where some viewed him right there with Jeff Ireland among the guys Sean Payton would’ve taken to another place had he joined a team looking to rebuild its front office (which wasn’t the case in Denver).
Packers director of football operations Milt Hendrickson: Hendrickson’s name is one that came up over and over as I made calls the last few weeks—an accomplished, if older, scout who has the respect of so many folks that make their careers on the college trail. It was that reputation that led Brian Gutekunst to poach Hendrickson from Baltimore in his first full offseason in charge, back in 2019. In addition to 14 seasons with the Ravens, Hendrickson also spent a decade as a college coach and has been a great source in Green Bay.
Browns assistant GM Catherine Hickman: The former Catherine Raîche has an intriguing résumé, having worked in decision-making positions for two CFL teams (Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts) before being hired to Philly by Roseman. It was there that she worked with Andrew Berry, who brought her over to be VP of football ops, the role Berry himself filled with the Eagles, when he became Browns GM. Hickman’s big-picture approach to marrying the operations side with the scouting side has definitely been an asset for Cleveland, and other teams will probably like her experience there working with ownership, too. I said it last year and I will say it again—she’s a good bet to be the first female GM.
Bears senior director of player personnel Jeff King: The ex-NFL tight end is a first-timer on this list. After an eight-year career in the pros, he got into scouting. And over the last decade, and through different regimes, he steadily rose through the Bears’ ranks, to the point where now he’s the No. 3 behind Poles and Cunningham. Given Chicago’s record, that alone probably wouldn’t be enough to get him on the list, but he’s got a good connection with Lions OC Ben Johnson and could be a factor in how Johnson sees that opening.
Texans director of player personnel James Liipfert: Liipfert was originally plucked from the Patriots by then-Houston coach Bill O’Brien to be the Texans college scouting director. Then, his old boss from New England, Nick Caserio, arrived in 2021 and promoted him to assistant director of player personnel, then director of player personnel and finally executive director of player personnel. In his time, Houston’s college-scouting operation has created an impressive pipeline of homegrown talent, with a staff under Liipfert that stuck tough times out. For someone looking for a GM with a background like the one Lions GM Brad Holmes had in Los Angeles, Liipfert would be an intriguing name.
Ravens VP of football administration Nick Matteo: Now in his sixth season in Baltimore, Matteo has been a vital piece of GM Eric DeCosta’s operation—and the Panthers took notice of it in bringing him in for a GM interview last year. Whether Matteo lines up better for a role like Disner’s or Pastoors’ (which isn’t far off from what he already does) or a true GM job is a fair question. But after his years with the Ravens, and the decade before that he spent working his way up within the NFL’s Management Council, the Penn alum is poised to take another step.
Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay: My belief is McClay will start looking more seriously at GM opportunities soon—after years of turning down interviews. (He passed on interviewing with Carolina last year.) In a lot of ways, he is the GM in Dallas and has been treated as such as one of the Joneses’ closest confidants. A skilled evaluator who has coaching in his background, McClay has built a really well put together personnel department that’s worked together seamlessly with Jason Garrett’s and Mike McCarthy’s staffs over the years. I think a new challenge might appeal to McClay, and every team with an opening should endeavor to find out.
Rams director of pro scouting John McKay: He’s young, and maybe a few years away, but the son of Falcons president Rich McKay, and grandson of legendary USC and Buccaneers coach John McKay, has quickly become a vital piece of Les Snead’s personnel department. He joined up with the team upon its move to L.A., and has been aboard for the entire Sean McVay era, climbing from scouting assistant to scouting director over the last nine seasons, after getting his career started at the league office. And his progress has been accelerated by the fact that much of the team’s personnel department is remote, which has made McKay an important in-office lieutenant and sounding board for Snead and Pastoors.
Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey: Quietly, Denver GM George Paton has built up the guts of the roster, absent all the capital lost in the Wilson trade, and Mougey’s been alongside him throughout, as they’ve worked to put Sean Payton’s vision for a team on the field. Once a star receiver good enough to get to training camp with the Falcons and Cardinals, Mougey’s in his 13th year with the Broncos, and came up through the college scouting ranks—getting more in-office experience when Paton came aboard in 2021, and taking part in two coaching searches since.
Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy: Nagy’s run the premier college all-star game for the last seven years, which has positioned him to, more or less, run a business, and face a lot of challenges that scouts becoming GMs have to learn on the fly—dealing with hiring a staff, managing a budget and being the face of an operation. Prior to that, he worked as a scout for the Patriots, Chiefs and Seahawks, and he has already interviewed for the Jets job last month.
Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark: Newmark is another guy who’s very highly thought of in the scouting community, and is drawing notice now with more and more wins attached to his reputation. Newmark spent 26 seasons in Detroit—he even overlapped with Barry Sanders there for a year—and was most recently a part of the Dan Campbell/Brad Holmes renaissance. Last year, Adam Peters plucked him to make him his No. 2, and the turnaround in Washington speaks for itself. I could see Johnson taking Newmark with him if he landed in a place like Jacksonville.
Saints director of pro personnel Michael Parenton: Once an offensive lineman that blocked for Matt Forte at Tulane, and briefly played for Tannenbaum’s Jets in 2009, Parenton has spent the last 12 seasons working for his hometown team, coming up on the pro-scouting side. Since the Saints have a smaller scouting department, Parenton’s been a part of virtually all areas of the team’s operation, and has built strong relationships with coaches like Glenn and Joe Brady as they’ve passed through New Orleans.
Falcons assistant GM Kyle Smith: Falcons GM Terry Fontenot promoted Smith to assistant GM in spring 2022 because teams were trying to poach the son of late former Chargers GM A.J. Smith—he’d even been seen as strong contender to succeed John Lynch in San Francisco, if Lynch ever were to walk away (which Lynch considered a couple years back). The reason for that is that Smith impressed Kyle Shanahan when the two were together in Washington, and Shanahan wasn’t the only one. Most of the coaches in that tree have similar feelings for Smith, including current Atlanta coach Raheem Morris.
Chiefs senior VP of football operations and strategy Chris Shea: Shea was the Chiefs’ lead lawyer while working on the cap and with scouts, through three championships, and his role expanded when Tilis left for Carolina last January. Shea started his career with the Jets, and then worked for the Cowboys, Dolphins and Eagles, both on the cap side and in scouting, with a stint working for the Management Council there, too. His varied experience, and view into advanced scouting methods, plus the law degree, should make him attractive to teams.
Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek: This is another guy right on the cusp. The Bucs are one of four franchises in the cap era to win three straight division titles following a Super Bowl title, and Sunday they can make it four straight. Along the way, Jason Licht, Spytek, Greenberg and a deep staff (Mike Biehl and Rob McCartney are rising stars within it) have reset the cap, and turned one of the oldest rosters in the league into one of the youngest, without falling off—and with multiple head coaches and quarterbacks at the helm. Spytek has interviewed with the Raiders, Vikings and Steelers. The ex-Michigan linebacker also has the unique distinction of getting to the Super Bowl with three teams (Bucs, Broncos, Eagles).
Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan: A football lifer, as the son of long-time NFL receivers coach Jerry Sullivan (who still works with Justin Jefferson), Jon-Eric Sullivan has proven himself an exceptional evaluator, a strong link between scouting and coaching and a valuable safety net for Gutekunst on anything in the draft or free agency. Sullivan’s been involved in the cap too, had a voice in the coaching search that landed Matt LaFleur and even has been looped in on things like player discipline and strength-and-conditioning. As an anecdote, he happened to be the scout who first put Jordan Love on Gutekunst’s radar.
Seahawks assistant GM Nolan Teasley: Teasley’s still young—he was an intern during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl season of 2013—but has quickly earned respect in the building and moved up under Schneider, becoming the pro director in his sixth season and the No. 2 guy in his 11th season. He’s highly organized, has been exposed to the entire operation as Seattle has reset and worked to rebuild through the draft post-Wilson. While we’re here, it’s also worth mentioning Seattle VP of player personnel Trent Kirchner, who’d interviewed for GM jobs years ago, but got lost in the mix a little after the LOB era.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin: Tobin’s been in charge in Cincinnati going all the way back to 1999. In a lot of ways, he is the team’s GM, because the scouting department there is so small. His record speaks for itself, given the challenges there, and how he’s built three separate groups of contending rosters for the three separate quarterbacks he drafted. His top lieutenants—Trey Brown, Mike Potts and Steve Radicevic—deserve mention, too. Any of those three could eventually become a GM. My only question with Tobin would be whether he’d even consider leaving.
Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl: Weidl has a similar path to Cunningham’s, having come up in Baltimore, before going with Douglas to Philly. Plenty of people who’ve worked with him have asked why he doesn’t get mentioned more—and there’s a reason why Omar Khan, whose background was on the cap side, worked hard to get him to be his No. 2 after Kevin Colbert retired. Few have the path of having worked for three perennial winners that Weidl brings to the table.
Packers director of pro personnel Richmond Williams: A former Iowa corner, Williams has been with the Packers for 18 seasons, with extensive experience as both a college and pro scout—he was on the college side from 2008 to ‘16, and has been on the pro side since. He’s impressed over the last couple years at the accelerator program and could be in line to move up in Green Bay if Sullivan gets a shot elsewhere.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Hot Names to Watch As Potential Future NFL GMs.