NFL insider notes The good and bad of le

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NFL insider notes The good and bad of le

Months ago, the prevailing thought among those in the leagueand especially those who desperately wanted to get back into the leaguewas that there'd be little turnover at general manager and head coach this winter.The thinking went that with the prospect of such an aberrational season and revenues down, team owners would be le s likely to pull the trigger on top positions and give a one-time, one-year pa s to those who otherwise would be walking the plank in 2020.So much for that idea.There are three head coach openings with the potential for as many as six more, and interestingly there are already four (of five if you count Washington) GM openings with the potential for four or so more to open.I've spent this week making calls around the league to personnel folks to gauge the GM openings specifically. I went into this idea thinking I'd come up with a consensus ranking of the five jobs, but what I found quickly is that the value of a certain job is in the eye of the beholder. Here's what else I found: each of the jobs has "another man" that candidates may have concerns about. It' Chicago Cubs Custom Jersey ll be incumbent upon both the interviewee and that "other man" to expre s how they'll work together in 2021 and beyond, because that guy isn't going anywhere any time soon.Why it's great:Among the open jobs, the Texans have, by far, the best quarterback. is 25 years old and playing the best football of his young career with le s around him than ever before. To not have to worry about that position (or that contract) for years offers an incredible amount of security. You're in the AFC South, a division that you can win every year. And since owner Cal McNair will hire you before the head coach, you'll have say in who you partner up with.Why it's not so great:This job is not without its detractions, which is a shame for a QB like Watson. McNair has made Addison Russell Jersey questionable decisions (to put it nicely) since taking over for his late father. The Texans have a poor cap situation and an even worse draft situation thanks to McNair empowering Bill O'Brien. Everyone I spoke with is concerned about how much input Jack Easterby has. The former character coach doesn't have a personnel background but clearly has the owner's ear, and he's worked his way through whatever Game of Thrones the Texans' front office has been playing. If Easterby weren't in the building, I've been told this would be the most attractive job to most candidates. Why it's great:You have a load of draft picks and an equal amount of cap space for 2021 and beyond. You'll more than likely have the No. 2 pick in the draft, meaning you'll be able to draft any QB you want this side of Trevor Lawrence. You can build the roster in your image better here than anywhere else. There's a patient owner in Shad Khan, and the lack of succe s the last quarter-century means that, relative to peer positions around the league, it's low-pre sure. Go to the playoffs once every three years and you're good. Also no state income tax in Florida and the beach is right there.Why it's not so great:I'm told the Jaguars are closer to the than the in terms of how much money they spend on football operations. If you want to build a strong front office and scouting staff, you'll need the owner to be more generous with salaries and perks. Historically you have to overpay to lure free agents there. Tony Khan is the team's SVP of football administration and technology. He's part owner of the team and Shad's son. Tony also has duties with Fulham FC and All Elite Wrestling, and two sources wondered if his focus would be with the football team, or if there'd just be too much "side commentary." (I'm told, though, that Tony has been more involved with soccer and wrestling lately and the Khans have left the head David Ross Jersey coach and GM to their own devices since firing Tom Coughlin.)Why it's great:If you believe in , he's still only 33. There's talent on the roster with a decent cap situation and the ability to get out from under some underperforming contracts soon. As ages, the NFC North becomes more winnable. And as my CBS Sports HQ colleague Erik Kuselias says, win there and they'll name schools after you. Why it's not so great:The roster, including the quarterback, can easily be viewed as a gla s half-empty deal. You could have as few as five draft picks in 2021. Then there's the decades of futility from the franchise. Sheila Ford Hamp is a complete unknown le s than one year after taking the reins from her mother. And she's listening to Rod Wood, the team's president and CEO who's a busine s guy with no Jose Quintana Jersey football background. This seems like a job for a more seasoned personnel chief than a young first-timer.Why it's great:You're in one of the best cities in America. OK that's me editorializing. You have a team owner who doesn't meddle in football busine s and spends to make sure you have the resources. There's and , though they're aging. A talented roster that Thomas Dimitroff put together, even if it has underperformed, including a solid 2020 draft cla s.Why it's not so great:If you don't believe in Matt Ryan, you're stuck with him in 2021 because of his contract. The cap situation is bad thanks to the expected dip next year, so tough cuts will have to be made. And the sources I speak to all expre sed concern about team president Rich McKay's involvement in football operations. McKay, a former GM with Tampa Bay and then Atlanta before Dimitroff's hiring, is well-liked around the league. Will football operations belong to the GM and not the GM McKay? One source said this job "won't be attractive to top candidates" because of the structure, which is something that will have to be ironed out in the interview proce s. Washington Football TeamWhy it's great:A good coach in place with Ron Rivera and a good defense. You have on the final year of his deal to decide on his future or make a move, along with the ability to trade away Dwayne Haskins, whose attitude in the building has turned the corner for the positive since the trade deadline pa sed. You're in a major market with the opportunity to play marquee national games regularly in the NFC East. You have a chance to be part of a culture change.Why it's not so great:First of all, the job may not even be open. Washington could very well turn to Kyle Smith, the team's VP of player personnel, to promote to the GM role after his work in previous drafts for the team. But beyond that an owner in Dan Snyder who has a history of being meddlesome even though he says he's not now. Do you believe him? A team that has been drawn to controversy. Do you think it's over? Will things truly Ben Zobrist Jersey change? One source said this was the least "influential" job of those available. Washington has a GM by committee with Rivera, Smith, SVP of football administration Rob Ro
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