With Steelers G.M. Kevin Colbert retiring, as long expected, after the conclusion of the 2022 draft, we’ve become reminded of the reality that teams from time to time change General Managers not after the season but after the draft.
This year, the Bears, Giants, and Vikings fired and hired General Managers following the conclusion of the 2022 season. This year, there are no obvious spots where a G.M. change could be made.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be a surprise. It was indeed a surprise when the Chiefs fired John Dorsey after the 2017 draft, which resulted in the selection of Patrick Mahomes. It was a mild surprise when the Jets fired Mike Maccagnan after the 2019 draft.
There are no current hot spots, no source of rumors that change could be coming. From time to time, 49ers G.M. John Lynch has been linked to a return to broadcasting. And the top spot at Fox remains open. However, there’s no current smoke pointing to that specific possibility.
That said, we never really know what’s happening behind the scenes within any of these teams until it hits the fan. While it’s critical for coaches and General Managers to get along and work together, dysfunction isn’t unprecedented. Coaches and General Managers routinely squabble, blaming each other for failures, battling over personnel moves, and/or jostling for more power.
Again, there’s no team that is currently the source of rumors or informed speculation. But that’s how it sometimes goes. As usual, it makes sense to expect the unexpected as the post-draft period begins to unfold.
