NFL Nation: Draft Watch 41410 AFC
» NFC decision-makers: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: The decision-makers.
Buffalo Bills
Several key members of the Bills' front office will be in unfamiliar roles for the draft. Rookie general manager Buddy Nix has been a consigliere for decades, but he has never overseen a draft. Assistant general manager Doug Whaley will be in Buffalo's war room for the first time after handling pro personnel for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chan Gailey hasn't gone into a draft as the head coach for 11 years. The most prominent holdover is vice president of college scouting Tom Modrak. The Bills fired pro personnel chief John Guy after last season.
Miami Dolphins
This will be the third Dolphins draft for football operations boss Bill Parcells, general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano. There's little doubt whose voice is most authoritative in the command center. Parcells handpicked Ireland and Sparano. Each is beholden to him. But that doesn't mean they're "yes" men. One of the qualities Parcells values most from his support staff is the ability to proffer a dissenting opinion. With that in mind, it's interesting Miami's director of college scouting is Chris Grier, son of former Patriots and Texans executive Bobby Grier. Parcells eventually left the Patriots after a disagreement with Bobby Grier about drafting receiver Terry Glenn. Parcells didn't want Glenn. Grier did. Patriots owner Robert Kraft sided with Grier, instigating Parcells' infamous "buy the groceries" lament.
New England Patriots
Patriots overlord Bill Belichick is entering his second draft without right-hand man Scott Pioli, who is now running the show in Kansas City. Belichick manages every personnel move within the organization. He receives help from senior football adviser Floyd Reese (the former Tennessee Titans general manager) and director of player personnel Nick Caserio, but Belichick has the first, second and final say. We've already noted Kraft reserves the right to get involved. But he won't go against a coach who has brought him three Lombardi trophies.
New York Jets
Parcells protégé Mike Tannenbaum is entering his fifth draft as general manager and his second with Rex Ryan. The opinionated coach has considerable say on whom the team selects, especially when it comes to defensive players. Tannenbaum isn't afraid to make moves on the fly, executing several trades to move up and select key players: quarterback Mark Sanchez, running back Shonn Greene, cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris. Tannenbaum and Ryan lean on top college scout Joey Clinkscales, who interviewed to be Dolphins general manager before Ireland got the gig.
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: The decision-makers.
Buffalo Bills
Several key members of the Bills' front office will be in unfamiliar roles for the draft. Rookie general manager Buddy Nix has been a consigliere for decades, but he has never overseen a draft. Assistant general manager Doug Whaley will be in Buffalo's war room for the first time after handling pro personnel for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chan Gailey hasn't gone into a draft as the head coach for 11 years. The most prominent holdover is vice president of college scouting Tom Modrak. The Bills fired pro personnel chief John Guy after last season.
Miami Dolphins
This will be the third Dolphins draft for football operations boss Bill Parcells, general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano. There's little doubt whose voice is most authoritative in the command center. Parcells handpicked Ireland and Sparano. Each is beholden to him. But that doesn't mean they're "yes" men. One of the qualities Parcells values most from his support staff is the ability to proffer a dissenting opinion. With that in mind, it's interesting Miami's director of college scouting is Chris Grier, son of former Patriots and Texans executive Bobby Grier. Parcells eventually left the Patriots after a disagreement with Bobby Grier about drafting receiver Terry Glenn. Parcells didn't want Glenn. Grier did. Patriots owner Robert Kraft sided with Grier, instigating Parcells' infamous "buy the groceries" lament.
New England Patriots
Patriots overlord Bill Belichick is entering his second draft without right-hand man Scott Pioli, who is now running the show in Kansas City. Belichick manages every personnel move within the organization. He receives help from senior football adviser Floyd Reese (the former Tennessee Titans general manager) and director of player personnel Nick Caserio, but Belichick has the first, second and final say. We've already noted Kraft reserves the right to get involved. But he won't go against a coach who has brought him three Lombardi trophies.
New York Jets
Parcells protégé Mike Tannenbaum is entering his fifth draft as general manager and his second with Rex Ryan. The opinionated coach has considerable say on whom the team selects, especially when it comes to defensive players. Tannenbaum isn't afraid to make moves on the fly, executing several trades to move up and select key players: quarterback Mark Sanchez, running back Shonn Greene, cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker David Harris. Tannenbaum and Ryan lean on top college scout Joey Clinkscales, who interviewed to be Dolphins general manager before Ireland got the gig.
» NFC decision-makers: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Decision-makers, who makes the call in the draft room.
Houston Texans
Gary Kubiak was hired ahead of Rick Smith in 2006, so it was a coach endorsing a general manager as opposed to the more traditional way around. They both have roots in Mike Shanahan’s Denver regime and the compatibility from their long relationship makes for a decision-by-consensus environment as opposed to a big division-of-power setup. Smith’s got a large scouting staff -- some argue too large -- but resources are not an issue for a first-class organization where owner Bob McNair spends what is needed to produce the best chances at success.
Indianapolis Colts
Team president Bill Polian has an excellent track record as a talent-finder and his team is built almost exclusively through the draft, a formula that’s worked for a team that’s consistently won double-digit games during his tenure. He trusts his scouts and the team’s systems, which are evolving under Jim Caldwell as he heads into his second year as coach. Polian has a shrewd feel for who’s overvalued and who’s undervalued and for what will be available when. He also knows he’ll be able to fill some roster spots with undrafted rookies ideal for what the Colts do. Owner Jim Irsay has full faith in Polian’s record and résumé.
Jacksonville Jaguars
General manager Gene Smith has control over the draft and the roster. But having come up as a scout and with an early background in coaching, he knows the value of input from people he trusts. Jack Del Rio is no shrinking violet, and his strong opinions are certainly factored in as Smith hits on the popular “consensus” model. Owner Wayne Weaver is looking to be more involved as the Jaguars press to sell tickets and get into the playoff picture. But those who think that means he’ll be moving name cards on draft day are overreaching.
Tennessee Titans
Jeff Fisher has never sought to be a coach/GM but his power in personnel decisions certainly increased a few years ago when Floyd Reese was dumped and Mike Reinfeldt was hired. The Titans talk constantly about consensus. Reinfeldt controls a well-organized scouting staff and measures input from Fisher’s staff as well. Then the two ultimately come to an agreement. It seems to me Fisher is far less likely to wind up with a player he doesn’t want than Reinfeldt is to call a name that might not be his first choice at a specific slot. While Bud Adams made the call on Vince Young in 2006 when it was still Reese’s operation, he’s not regularly meddling.
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Decision-makers, who makes the call in the draft room.
Houston Texans
Gary Kubiak was hired ahead of Rick Smith in 2006, so it was a coach endorsing a general manager as opposed to the more traditional way around. They both have roots in Mike Shanahan’s Denver regime and the compatibility from their long relationship makes for a decision-by-consensus environment as opposed to a big division-of-power setup. Smith’s got a large scouting staff -- some argue too large -- but resources are not an issue for a first-class organization where owner Bob McNair spends what is needed to produce the best chances at success.
Indianapolis Colts
Team president Bill Polian has an excellent track record as a talent-finder and his team is built almost exclusively through the draft, a formula that’s worked for a team that’s consistently won double-digit games during his tenure. He trusts his scouts and the team’s systems, which are evolving under Jim Caldwell as he heads into his second year as coach. Polian has a shrewd feel for who’s overvalued and who’s undervalued and for what will be available when. He also knows he’ll be able to fill some roster spots with undrafted rookies ideal for what the Colts do. Owner Jim Irsay has full faith in Polian’s record and résumé.
Jacksonville Jaguars
General manager Gene Smith has control over the draft and the roster. But having come up as a scout and with an early background in coaching, he knows the value of input from people he trusts. Jack Del Rio is no shrinking violet, and his strong opinions are certainly factored in as Smith hits on the popular “consensus” model. Owner Wayne Weaver is looking to be more involved as the Jaguars press to sell tickets and get into the playoff picture. But those who think that means he’ll be moving name cards on draft day are overreaching.
Tennessee Titans
Jeff Fisher has never sought to be a coach/GM but his power in personnel decisions certainly increased a few years ago when Floyd Reese was dumped and Mike Reinfeldt was hired. The Titans talk constantly about consensus. Reinfeldt controls a well-organized scouting staff and measures input from Fisher’s staff as well. Then the two ultimately come to an agreement. It seems to me Fisher is far less likely to wind up with a player he doesn’t want than Reinfeldt is to call a name that might not be his first choice at a specific slot. While Bud Adams made the call on Vince Young in 2006 when it was still Reese’s operation, he’s not regularly meddling.
» NFC decision-makers: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Decision-makers.
Denver
This is the only team in the AFC West without a clear-cut draft leader, publicly at least. Coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Brian Xanders and college scouting director Matt Russell are part of the team’s draft decision-making team. Make no mistake, McDaniels plays a very big role in the team’s drafting philosophy as he does in every football decision. The Broncos are reluctant to address who makes the final call, but everything goes through McDaniels. If he doesn’t want to coach a player, he won’t have to. He has a lot of power in Denver.
Kansas City
General manager Scott Pioli makes the call in Kansas City. When the Chiefs hired him away from the New England Patriots -- where he was Bill Belichick’s top lieutenant -- after the 2008 season, it was made clear that he would run the football operations in Kansas City. The Hunt family believes in one-voice leadership. Pioli has embraced his role very well. He is a believer in leadership starting at the top. He runs a tight ship and it is clear he will make the final call. He has a good relationship with coach Todd Haley (whom Pioli hired). I know Haley has some voice in the team’s drafting plans. But it’s Pioli who pulls the trigger on the draft decisions.
Oakland
Is there any question about this? There may not be a more undisputed leader than Al Davis on any professional team. This is Davis’ show. Davis, 80, makes the final call on everything in Oakland. He has others in the organization, including coach Tom Cable, do leg work and give input, but Davis doesn’t need any help making the call. There have been pleas from Oakland fans for Davis to hire a general manager, but he has been reluctant to do so. It's clear Davis still relishes making the decisions and he trusts his judgment more than others. Despite slowing down in recent years, Davis reviews film of college prospects and is in constant contact with Oakland scouts.
San Diego
This is a classic leadership situation. A.J. Smith is the general manager in San Diego. He is responsible for making all football-related decisions since he took over in San Diego in 2003. Smith has become known as one of the best drafters in the NFL. He is an aggressive draft-day trader. He has no problem trading up or down. Smith is a very confident leader. He’s in charge and he isn’t afraid of doing his job.
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Decision-makers.
Denver
This is the only team in the AFC West without a clear-cut draft leader, publicly at least. Coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Brian Xanders and college scouting director Matt Russell are part of the team’s draft decision-making team. Make no mistake, McDaniels plays a very big role in the team’s drafting philosophy as he does in every football decision. The Broncos are reluctant to address who makes the final call, but everything goes through McDaniels. If he doesn’t want to coach a player, he won’t have to. He has a lot of power in Denver.
Kansas City
General manager Scott Pioli makes the call in Kansas City. When the Chiefs hired him away from the New England Patriots -- where he was Bill Belichick’s top lieutenant -- after the 2008 season, it was made clear that he would run the football operations in Kansas City. The Hunt family believes in one-voice leadership. Pioli has embraced his role very well. He is a believer in leadership starting at the top. He runs a tight ship and it is clear he will make the final call. He has a good relationship with coach Todd Haley (whom Pioli hired). I know Haley has some voice in the team’s drafting plans. But it’s Pioli who pulls the trigger on the draft decisions.
Oakland
Is there any question about this? There may not be a more undisputed leader than Al Davis on any professional team. This is Davis’ show. Davis, 80, makes the final call on everything in Oakland. He has others in the organization, including coach Tom Cable, do leg work and give input, but Davis doesn’t need any help making the call. There have been pleas from Oakland fans for Davis to hire a general manager, but he has been reluctant to do so. It's clear Davis still relishes making the decisions and he trusts his judgment more than others. Despite slowing down in recent years, Davis reviews film of college prospects and is in constant contact with Oakland scouts.
San Diego
This is a classic leadership situation. A.J. Smith is the general manager in San Diego. He is responsible for making all football-related decisions since he took over in San Diego in 2003. Smith has become known as one of the best drafters in the NFL. He is an aggressive draft-day trader. He has no problem trading up or down. Smith is a very confident leader. He’s in charge and he isn’t afraid of doing his job.
» NFC decision-makers: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Decision-makers.
Cleveland Browns
There is no question who calls the shots in Cleveland this year. New team president Mike Holmgren joined the Browns with the unofficial title of "football czar." In other words, "The Big Show" has final say on everything inside their building. To Holmgren's credit, he's delegated some of his vast power to general manager Tom Heckert in the front office and Eric Mangini on the coaching side while overseeing the entire operation. But rest assured, next week's draft will have Holmgren's fingerprints all over it.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are very traditional when it comes to personnel decisions. The coaches coach during the season and the front office picks the players afterward. That firm line makes for very little confusion on the South Side. Pittsburgh's Kevin Colbert is one of the league's best general managers and probably doesn't get enough credit. For the most part Colbert avoids the spotlight and sparingly does interviews, although he spent some time with the AFC North blog recently. Instead Colbert prefers to stay behind the scenes most of the year until it's time to make moves on draft day.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals don't put nearly as many resources into scouting as their rivals, and it's a major reason they haven't had back-to-back winning seasons in 28 years. Without a normal front-office setup, the final calls are made at the ownership level led by Mike Brown. It's somewhat of a mystery exactly how Cincinnati scouts its players with such a scant front office, but the coaching staff plays a large and active role with scouting in the offseason.
Baltimore Ravens
"In Ozzie we trust" is a saying you hear often in Baltimore this time of year. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is one of the best in the business at replenishing Baltimore's roster with young talent via the draft. In the past couple of years alone, Newsome has hit home runs with Ray Rice, Joe Flacco and Michael Oher. Director of player personnel Eric DeCosta is Newsome's right-hand man in Baltimore, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better pairing of talent executives in the league.
» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)
Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Decision-makers.
Cleveland Browns
There is no question who calls the shots in Cleveland this year. New team president Mike Holmgren joined the Browns with the unofficial title of "football czar." In other words, "The Big Show" has final say on everything inside their building. To Holmgren's credit, he's delegated some of his vast power to general manager Tom Heckert in the front office and Eric Mangini on the coaching side while overseeing the entire operation. But rest assured, next week's draft will have Holmgren's fingerprints all over it.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are very traditional when it comes to personnel decisions. The coaches coach during the season and the front office picks the players afterward. That firm line makes for very little confusion on the South Side. Pittsburgh's Kevin Colbert is one of the league's best general managers and probably doesn't get enough credit. For the most part Colbert avoids the spotlight and sparingly does interviews, although he spent some time with the AFC North blog recently. Instead Colbert prefers to stay behind the scenes most of the year until it's time to make moves on draft day.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals don't put nearly as many resources into scouting as their rivals, and it's a major reason they haven't had back-to-back winning seasons in 28 years. Without a normal front-office setup, the final calls are made at the ownership level led by Mike Brown. It's somewhat of a mystery exactly how Cincinnati scouts its players with such a scant front office, but the coaching staff plays a large and active role with scouting in the offseason.
Baltimore Ravens
"In Ozzie we trust" is a saying you hear often in Baltimore this time of year. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is one of the best in the business at replenishing Baltimore's roster with young talent via the draft. In the past couple of years alone, Newsome has hit home runs with Ray Rice, Joe Flacco and Michael Oher. Director of player personnel Eric DeCosta is Newsome's right-hand man in Baltimore, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better pairing of talent executives in the league.
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