Titans GM Search Underway

I like what the Titans are doing in making their GM search somewhat public. It’s a refreshing change from the old days of secret meetings that used to go on around the league. Eight names have now been reported as potential candidates for the Titans’ general manager position.
The Titans have received permission to interview Packers director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie and Jaguars director of pro personnel Charles Bailey. They have also reportedly asked for permission to talk to Dolphins GM Randy Mueller, Seahawks vice president/football administration Mike Reinfeldt and Seahawks vice president/player personnel Ruston Webster.
In-house personnel rumored to be potential candidates include Titans director of player personnel Rich Snead, director of college scouting Mike Ackerley, and scout Blake Beddingfield.
Snead, Ackerley, and Beddingfield, especially Beddingfield, seem to be longshots, based on this comment from Titans COO Steve Underwood in his press conference announcing Floyd Reese’s resignation.

He (the successful candidate) will have to have on the ground hands-on experience as an assistant G.M. or G.M.

Based on that statement, I’m not really sure why Beddingfield’s name is even out there. Underwood also said:

We have to get someone who has real live collegiate and pro experience as a subjective evaluator of talent, someone who has at least some working knowledge of the salary cap, player contract negotiations, working with the media, all of those things that are integral to being a general manager in the modern National Football League. Some of those things we have some expertise already in-house. Most of our salary cap work over the years has been done in my department, but we will need someone who is well-versed in both pro and collegiate scouting.
The job as I mentioned a few minutes ago of General Manger in the modern league (NFL) involves so many facets. It’s the subjective evaluation of talent, working knowledge of our labor agreement, working knowledge of the salary cap, player contract negotiation and working with the media. It is not a single faced job, there’s a lot to it.

There is speculation that the new GM job might be split between two people; one to handle player personnel issues, and the other to handle contract negotiations and the salary cap. Reese, the former GM, handled both as part of his job.
The Seahawks connection is interesting. Besides Reinfeldt and Webster, who are currently with Seattle, Mueller was with the Seahawks for 17 years. I wonder if Bud Adams got recommendations on the trio from Seahawks owner Paul Allen.
Reinfeldt and McKenzie are both former NFL players. Reinfeldt was a former defensive back with the Houston Oilers, where he earned All-Pro honors. McKenzie was a linebacker with the Raiders, Cardinals, and 49ers, not to be confused with the other Reggie McKenzie, who was a guard with the Buffalo Bills.
Update (7:00 pm): Add another candidate to the list. Ron Hill, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, interviewed with the Titans today for the position of general manager. Hill has more than 25 years of NFL experience, in various capacities with the Cowboys, Broncos, Jaguars, and Falcons before assuming his current duties with the NFL front office.