Doug

Whaley

This was Whaley’s second interview, as the Steelers begin round two of the process to replace Kevin Colbert. Colbert officially stepped down after the draft and will be a consultant. They’ve also talked to Titans VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden and Bucs VP of player personnel John Spytek.

Jerry Reese and Doug Whaley were also interviewed by the Steelers. Spielman was fired by Minnesota after spending 16 years with the team. He held the general manager title for 10 seasons but operated as the de facto general manager for another six years. Spielman’s Vikings went 132-123-2 during his entire tenure but never made a name for themselves in the postseason. They made the playoffs six times but failed to make it past the NFC Championship. Spielman is well respected in league circles and has a scouting background on his resume. With Steelers GM Kevin Colbert expected to step down after the 2022 NFL Draft, Spielman could quickly emerge as his successor.

K. There’s no point in even pretending this could possibly be true. It speaks very poorly of Whaley, who has been anything but forthright throughout the Bills’ latest coaching change. It’s mysterious as to why Whaley has been given the opportunity to hire his third head coach in five years. The Bills could be on the brink of going off the rails.

However, the new coach will have control of his staff, which includes hiring and firing assistant coaches. It was previously reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the new head coach in Buffalo would have “more power within the organization,” but apparently that doesn’t include control of the 53-man roster. As of now, Harold Goodwin, Anthony Lynn and Kris Richard are considered the top candidates to replace Rex Ryan.

In other words, Whaley won’t be joining Rex Ryan on the street. No one could have faulted the Bills if they pink-slipped Whaley after four years. He’s been a picture of mediocrity, drawn to big names, but usually failing to address the team’s biggest issues. He’s checked in No. 17 in Rotoworld’s general manager rankings each of the past two years.

McDermott said his transition to working with Whaley has been “seamless” and the pair have “healthy conversations.” Reports suggest otherwise, with Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News saying it is “only a matter of time” until Whaley is fired. Even if Whaley sticks around, Tyrod Taylor’s presence on the roster suggests the coach carries more clout than the general manager at this point.

Per reporter Vic Carucci, Whaley’s firing was “fulfillment of a condition of McDermott’s employment.” This had been the rumor for months. It’s a little surprising the Bills were willing to go through the public motions for weeks on end, but then again, they’re not a good franchise. They’re hoping McDermott will change that.

Whaley has been at odds with new coach Sean McDermott seemingly since the day McDermott was hired. Sullivan believes Whaley has already lost the power struggle, with McDermott emerging as the team’s “voice.” We saw this play out early in the month when Buffalo kept Tyrod Taylor on a restructured deal, a decision that was heavily influenced by McDermott. Sullivan believes Whaley’s exodus could occur after the draft. At that point, McDermott would likely bring in a GM of his choosing. Sullivan mentioned Panthers director of player personnel Don Gregory as a possible replacement for Whaley.

As detailed in a report by Joe Buscaglia of WKBW Buffalo, La Canfora is hearing that Whaley is on thin ice and could soon be replaced by Panthers assistant GM Brandon Beane. The Ringer’s Michael Lombardi made a similar claim earlier this week when he said that new coach Sean McDermott “is making all the moves in Buffalo.” Per La Canfora, a decision on Whaley’s future in Buffalo could come as soon as Sunday morning. Stay tuned.

The Bills are also letting their entire scouting department go. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports had reported that all Bills scouts and personnel were required for a meeting at team headquarters on Sunday morning. Now we know what that meeting was about. The Ringer’s Michael Lombardi noted before the draft that new coach Sean McDermott is “making all the moves in Buffalo.” With Whaley losing the power struggle to McDermott and his coaching staff, it was only a matter of time until the Bills showed him the door. “We have enjoyed working with Doug,” said owner Terry Pegula in a statement. “We want to thank him for his work and commitment to our football team. It was not an easy decision but I believe it’s the right one for the future of the Buffalo Bills.” Panthers assistant GM Brandon Beane is considered the leading candidate to replace Whaley in Buffalo.