NFL coaches aren’t the only ones who have to worry about their jobs if they don’t win. Just like them, their bosses can find themselves on the hot seat.
The offseason scoreboard doesn’t matter as much as the scoreboard in stadiums during the season, but a general manager’s success is measured in offseason moves and how those moves translate to wins and losses.
These general managers could feel their seats getting warmer if they don’t improve their teams in the 2017 NFL draft.
Mike Maccagnan
Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles seemed like great hires when the Jets came to within one win of the playoffs in 2015. But Ryan Fitzpatrick’s pixie dust wore off, and the Jets tumbled from 10-6 to 5-11 in the duo’s second season.
The Jets haven’t done a whole lot to generate excitement in free agency. They brought in 37-year-old Josh McCown to babysit the quarterback room until the Jets find their savior at that position. Offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum and cornerback Morris Claiborne both have injury histories.
With the No. 6 pick in the draft, the Jets will be able to pick one of the top quarterbacks if they think anyone from this class is worth a top-10 pick. They also could take advantage of this draft’s defensive depth.
Maccagnan could earn a mulligan for 2016 if some of his 2017 draft picks make an immediate impact.
Doug Whaley
It’s unclear how much power Doug Whaley has as Bills general manager. He said he didn’t know that Rex Ryan was on the hot seat before he was fired, but he apparently had more say in hiring new coach Sean McDermott than he did in dismissing Ryan.
Assuming Whaley runs the Bills draft, he will be in charge of his fifth one this year. He really hasn’t hit any drafts out of the park yet, although 2016 first-rounder Shaq Lawson got off to a late start because of a shoulder injury and second-rounder Reggie Ragland missed the entire season with a torn ACL. Even 2014 first-rounder Sammy Watkins, arguably Whaley’s best pick, has had trouble staying on the field. He’s missed 11 games over the last two seasons.
The Bills are still looking for their first playoff berth since 1999. If that drought continues, Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula might decide that Ryan wasn’t the problem and clarify Whaley’s role once and for all by firing him.
Sashi Brown
Sashi Brown probably has more leeway than previous general managers who have worked for Jimmy Haslam, but how many 1-15 seasons can he and Hue Jackson survive?
The Browns have 11 picks in the draft, including the top overall pick, the No. 12 pick and five of the top 65 picks. This draft is like an open-book test. If Brown fails, it might not cost him his job next season, but it could after another couple of years of single-digit wins.
After going from 7-9 in 2014 to 3-13 in 2015 to 1-15 last season, the Browns need all the help they can get from their drafts and they can’t afford a year without contributions from picks.
Dave Caldwell
The Jaguars were winners in free agency. The addition of A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell outweighs the loss of Prince Amukamara, Kelvin Beachum and Johnathan Cyprien.
Dave Caldwell might have avoided the ax when the Jaguars fired Gus Bradley last season, but now he has Tom Coughlin breathing down his neck. The Jaguars are 15-49 since Caldwell took over as general manager in 2013. They got 10 sacks and three interceptions out of their 2016 draft class. Another solid draft could build some momentum toward a legitimate rebuild, but a bad draft would put the organization right back at square one and Caldwell isn’t likely to survive another 3-13 season.
Rick Smith
As the NFL goes, the Texans are one the league’s more stable franchises. Rick Smith has been the general manager since 2006 and they’ve had just two head coaches during that time.
There’s been too much stability, however, over the last three seasons. That is, the Texans have finished 9-7 three straight times. Too much 9-7 isn’t a good thing for job security in the NFL. Those 9-7 seasons started when Bill O’Brien was hired as head coach in 2014. Some of this perennial mediocrity falls on his shoulders. But while making the playoffs four of the last six seasons, the Texans have never reached a conference championship game. Smith has had more chances to get them there than O’Brien.
Last year, Smith signed an extension through 2020, but that was before it became clear just how much of a mistake he made signing Brock Osweiler.
The Texans admitted their mistake, and gave up a second-round pick next season, by trading Osweiler to the Browns. If the Texans don’t land Tony Romo, Smith will be under more pressure to unearth some gems in this draft.
Tom Telesco
The Chargers haven’t won more than nine games since 2009, and they’re coming off a 4-12 season in 2015 and a 5-11 season last year. That’s two straight last-place finishes in the AFC West.
Melvin Gordon, their top pick in 2015, made the Pro Bowl last season. Joey Bosa, last year’s top pick, had 10.5 sacks. Tom Telesco needs to maintain that draft success, because time is running out for the Chargers to win a championship with Philip Rivers, who turns 36 in December.
Not only that, but the move to Los Angeles brings added pressure. There are countless entertainment options in LA, and an NFL team has to have a realistic chance of winning the Super Bowl every year to stay relevant.
Ryan Pace
The Bears are 9-23 in Ryan Pace’s two seasons as general manager and their 3-13 mark last season was their worst record since 1969.
It seems like Pace is trying to solve the problem by lighting money on fire in free agency.
He allowed Alshon Jeffery to leave and signed mediocre-at-best quarterback Mike Glennon to a five-year, $45 million contract. He also overspent on wide receiver Markus Wheaton and tight end Dion Sims.
Pace’s first draft pick, wide receiver Kevin White, has played in just four games because of leg injuries.
Pace had better luck in the 2016 draft. Leonard Floyd had seven sacks in 12 games and could turn out to be a good pick if he stays healthy. Cody Whitehair started every game at center and Jordan Howard was second in the NFL with 1,313 rushing yards.
John Fox has brought both the Panthers and Broncos to the Super Bowl. It’s going to take a while before he can realistically get the Bears there, but another productive draft will help and it would also make people forget the questionable decisions Pace has made so far this offseason.
Steve Keim
Steve Keim provided a cool breeze in the desert with his whiff in the 2016 draft. An interception by Harlan Miller and three passes defended by Brandon Williams were the most tangible contributions from the draft class. First-rounder Robert Nkemdiche was sidelined by both injures and an apparent lack of motivation.
NFC championship game participants in 2015, the Cardinals were perhaps the NFL’s biggest disappointment in 2016, flopping to 7-8-1. The story would have been different if Chandler Catanzaro made a few more field goals. The Cardinals’ second-ranked defense was a bright spot, but that defense has been picked apart in free agency with Calais Campbell, Tony Jefferson and Kevin Minter all signing elsewhere.
Considering Carson Palmer’s age, the Cardinals could get in on the quarterback game with the No. 13 pick, but now they have some holes to fill on defense. Keim needs to do a better job drafting this year than he did last year or he and Bruce Arians could both be out of a job.
About Mike Batista
Mike is a longtime NFL analyst and Steelers fan. He currently writes for Steelers Addicts, and has also written for Bleacher Report.
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