The first thing you notice when ranking the best general managers in the NFL is that the league’s front office crop is as strong as ever. With more refined processes and analytically-based decision trees in place, most GMs are efficient, forward-thinking, and proactive.
Sure, every NFL general manager has made missteps. But the days of significant free agent overpays or one-sided draft-day trades are mostly in the past. By and large, team executives make intelligent decisions that benefit their teams in the short- and long-term.
Of course, some GMs are inherently better at acquiring talent and managing rosters than others. Here’s how we rank the NFL’s current general managers.
2024 NFL GM Rankings
1) Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles
To survive as long as Howie Roseman has in Philadelphia, you have to show your mettle as a leader and competitor. Being an NFL GM is a tough-guy role, and that is especially true in Philadelphia.
Roseman first joined the Eagles as an unpaid intern in 2000 and eventually worked his way to the top of the organization.
Since becoming the Eagles GM in 2010, Roseman has developed a reputation as one of the most creative minds in the NFL when it comes to making trades and managing the salary cap.
Under his watch, the Eagles won their first Super Bowl in franchise history and came close to winning their second six years later.
2) Brett Veach, Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes will be in the Hall of Fame one day. They deserve as much credit as anyone for the Kansas City Chiefs’ prolonged success.
But so does Brett Veach.
It’s a coach and quarterback league, for certain, but football is the ultimate team game. That means it’s incumbent on someone to manage the entire roster, not just two important positions. Veach has done that with excellence in Kansas City.
From orchestrating a draft-day trade to acquire Mahomes in the first place, Veach’s handprints are all over the Chiefs’ success.
3) Eric DeCosta, Baltimore Ravens
There is no team in the NFL with a more established or consistent brand of football than the Baltimore Ravens, and head coach John Harbaugh is a big reason why.
So is Eric DeCosta. He gracefully took over for former GM Ozzie Newsome in 2019, and the franchise hasn’t skipped a beat.
Under DeCosta, the Ravens have continued to be one of the model NFL franchises, making the playoffs in five of the last six seasons.
With DeCosta in charge, the Ravens have found a way to maintain their identity as a defensive-minded team while also orchestrating much more explosive offenses than in years past.
4) Brian Gutekunst, Green Bay Packers
Going from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers and then to Jordan Love is often characterized as an unimaginable streak of luck for the Green Bay Packers.
Maybe some luck is involved, but there is definitely plenty of front office skill required.
Brian Gutekunst has been there through it all, joining the organization as a scout in 1999 and gradually ascending to his post as GM in 2018.
There have been some blemishes and tough times along the way, but helping guide the Packers through that quarterback transition is an uncanny accomplishment.
Even with the youngest roster in the NFL in 2023, the Packers made a surprising playoff run and came very close to upsetting the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.
5) Brad Holmes, Detroit Lions
If any general manager has nailed the draft in recent years, it’s Brad Holmes.
Since taking over as the Lions GM in 2021, Holmes has drafted foundational players such as Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeil, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch.
He also hit a home run by hiring Dan Campbell as head coach, and the Matthew Stafford trade has paid off massively, as Jared Goff has been a revelation in Detroit.
6) Les Snead, Los Angeles Rams
There is nothing wrong with leaving the path most often traveled, especially if that path leads to winning a Super Bowl. That’s what Les Snead did with the Los Angeles Rams.
In Snead’s Rams tenure, there have been splashy free agent signings, headline-driving trades, and, at times, a disregard for building the roster through the draft. It all culminated, however, in the Rams hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after the 2021 season.
To his credit, Snead is now in the midst of a rebuild and he’s utilized draft picks to help get the job done. Fifth-round finds such as wide receiver Puka Nacua and running back Kyren Williams are just two recent examples of Snead going back to his roots as a scout to build the Rams back up.
7) Brandon Beane, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is a no-doubt-about-it elite quarterback, but selecting him in the draft was not such an obvious decision. The University of Wyoming isn’t exactly considered an NFL feeding ground, after all.
But the selection of Allen set the stage for a successful run in Buffalo and Brandon Beane was at the head of it all. He’s this high in the rankings on the heels of that run.
Now, however, the Buffalo Bills are in the midst of transition, albeit with a franchise quarterback still entrenched at the center of it all.
Beane’s ability to stay in the top 10 or even climb into the top five of rankings such as these will depend largely on his success in this rebuild following the departure of key players such as wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, center Mitch Morse, and defensive backs Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, and Tre’Davious White.
8) John Lynch, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers infamously traded away three first-round picks for Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft. Even with that move backfiring, they still have arguably the most talented roster in the NFL. That’s a testament to how exceptional of a team builder John Lynch has been.
Specifically, Lynch and his team have excelled at finding foundational players in Day 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft, as Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga were all drafted after the first round.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
Lynch’s most impressive Day 3 selection, however, was drafting Brock Purdy with the very last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Since Lynch has taken over, the 49ers have made it to the NFC Championship Game four times and the Super Bowl twice in seven seasons. While Kyle Shanahan often receives the most credit for the 49ers’ success, Lynch deserves his flowers as well.
9) Mike Brown/Duke Tobin, Cincinnati Bengals
Warranted or not, the Cincinnati Bengals have a reputation for frugality. What cannot be misinterpreted, though, is that the decision-making apparatus, which includes Mike Brown and Duke Tobin, is committed to and has succeeded in building a winning football team.
From 2009-15, the Bengals averaged 10.4 wins per season and qualified for the playoffs every year. There were some dark years after, but that led to the organization selecting stars such as quarterback Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.
With those two stars and other quality players acquired by the Brown/Tobin team, the Bengals logged double-digit-win seasons in 2021 and 2022 and came close to defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI.
10) Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Figuring out how to sign Tom Brady and then winning a Super Bowl with him is perhaps the most notable accomplishment for Jason Licht. But it’s not as simple as that when looking at his record as the Buccaneers general manager.
A big reason Brady even considered the Buccaneers is that a solid team was already in place for the future Hall of Famer to join in a quest to capture one more title before he retired. The offensive line was stocked with quality starters, and the defense included standouts across the board.
Then there’s the post-Brady reality, which Licht has tackled well. He tabbed Baker Mayfield as the team’s next quarterback, and that worked out well, as Tampa Bay found itself atop the NFC South once again in 2023.
11) Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears
Since taking over for Ryan Pace in 2022, Ryan Poles has been crucial in the Chicago Bears’ rebuild. One of the most notable aspects of his time with the Bears was trading down from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft with Carolina, turning the pick used for Bryce Young into one of the biggest hauls in recent NFL history.
For the price of Young, Poles netted Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and a 2025 second-round pick.
While the trade with Carolina helps his case as one of the better GMs in the league, there have been some missteps along the way, such as trading the No. 32 pick for Chase Claypool.
12) Nick Caserio, Houston Texans
Nick Caserio took over for the Houston Texans in 2021, and it was a rebuild for the first two years. In his first two seasons in charge, the Texans went a combined 7-26, showing a roster that lacked overall talent.
However, Caserio flipped the switch significantly in the 2023 offseason, hiring head coach DeMeco Ryans and having one of the stronger draft classes in the league.
The Texans went from back-to-back seasons with league-low rankings to winning the AFC South in 2023 behind rookie head coach Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
13) John Schneider, Seattle Seahawks
Under John Schneider’s watch, the Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl in franchise history and have made the playoffs 10 times in 14 seasons.
Schneider was responsible for bringing the Legion of Doom to Seattle and drafting Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Without those moves, the Seahawks wouldn’t have been a perennial NFC contender for the 2010s.
While Schneider has been one of the most successful GMs since he arrived in Seattle, he still has his flaws.
In particular, Schneider has over-invested in non-premium positions. Schneider has frequently drafted running backs in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, and he gave up a massive haul to trade for safety Jamal Adams.
14) Chris Ballard, Indianapolis Colts
Chris Ballard has had his share of hits and misses since being hired as the Colts general manager.
Ballard’s biggest hit was his 2018 draft class, as he brought in two future first-team All-Pros in Quenton Nelson and Shaquille Leonard, two players who received such honors as rookies.
One big miss for Ballard, however, was the blockbuster trade for QB Carson Wentz. In acquiring Wentz, the Colts were hoping to finally have stability at quarterback after Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement in 2019. However, after trading away first- and third-round picks, the Colts parted ways with Wentz after just one season.
Ballard’s tenure will ultimately be evaluated by the success of Anthony Richardson, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
15) Monti Ossenfort, Arizona Cardinals
Monti Ossenfort is only entering his second season with the Arizona Cardinals. While there has been a small sample size of moves to evaluate, the early returns on Ossenfort have been very promising.
Ossenfort took over a Cardinals team that had arguably the worst roster in the NFL before last season. With glaring needs across the board, Ossenfort used the 2023 NFL Draft to acquire additional draft capital to help kickstart their rebuild.
Ossenfort received glowing praise for his draft-day maneuvering inside the top-10 in 2023, as he moved down from the No. 3 pick to acquire a future first-round pick and then traded back up to No. 6 to draft OT Paris Johnson Jr.
With the selection of Johnson Jr., Ossenfort showed his first priority in the Cardinals’ rebuild was to provide franchise quarterback Kyler Murray with a better supporting cast. He followed that up in the 2024 NFL Draft by using the No. 4 pick on star Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
16) Jerry Jones/Will McClay, Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones and his staff deserve a ton of credit for the Dallas Cowboys winning 12 games in three straight seasons. Much of the Cowboys’ recent success in the regular season has been due to their stellar drafts, with all of their foundational pieces being homegrown talent.
The Cowboys, however, fall behind many of their peers when it comes to managing the salary cap and their lack of proactiveness in extending their star players.
Rather than rewarding their core players early, the Cowboys frequently wait until the very last minute to sign them to lucrative contract extensions. As a result, they fall behind the market and end up paying a premium that easily could have been avoided if they acted sooner.
The most recent example involved CeeDee Lamb. While the Cowboys reached an agreement with their top playmaker before the start of the 2024 season, they waited until after players such as Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and others signed this summer. As a result, Lamb’s price went up significantly.
17) Andrew Berry, Cleveland Browns
Since Andrew Berry joined the Cleveland Browns in 2020, they have made the playoffs twice in four seasons. Prior to Berry’s arrival, the Browns made the postseason just once since re-joining the NFL as an expansion team in 1999.
Under Berry’s watch, the Browns have developed one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, especially on defense. While the Myles Garrett selection preceded his arrival, Berry’s additions on defense have included Greg Newsome II, Martin Emerson Jr., Grant Delpit, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, to name a few.
Berry’s tenure as Browns GM, however, will be defined by the Deshaun Watson trade and contract extension.
After Watson looked like a top-five quarterback in Houston, he has been a major disappointment for Cleveland so far.
The amount of draft capital the Browns surrendered for Watson (three first-round picks, two fourth-round picks, and one third-round pick) followed by signing him to a fully-guaranteed contract looks to be a massive mistake.
18) Chris Grier, Miami Dolphins
Chris Grier joined the Miami Dolphins as a scout in 2000 and worked his way up to being promoted to general manager in 2016.
Under Grier, the Dolphins have made the postseason three times but have failed to win their first playoff game since 2000.
While the Dolphins haven’t had any postseason success under Grier, he deserves a lot of credit for building a very favorable environment for franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
After Tagovailoa struggled in his first two seasons, Grier made a series of moves designed to maximize his starting quarterback’s potential, starting with hiring head coach Mike McDaniel and eventually trading for Tyreek Hill.
Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have been one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL en route to a combined 20-14 record over the last two seasons, as Grier’s moves to help their franchise quarterback paid off massively.
19) Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Minnesota Vikings
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was a unique hire by the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 because he emerged from an analytics track.
Through two seasons, however, it has been a mixed bag for Adofo-Mensah.
Adofo-Mensah’s first draft class has been a huge disappointment, as first-round pick Lewis Cine was released after just two seasons. Of the 10 players the Vikings selected that year, only Ed Ingram, Akayleb Evans, and Ty Chandler have made an impact, and none of them appear to be franchise cornerstones.
At the same time, Adofo-Mensah has acquired premium talent on offense, most notably T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison to go along with Justin Jefferson.
While it’s too early to fully evaluate Adofo-Mensah as a general manger, his success in Minnesota will ultimately come down to how J.J. McCarthy’s career pans out.
20) Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers
As a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2001, Omar Khan became Pittsburgh’s general manager in 2022, taking over for long-time lead executive Kevin Colbert.
One of Khan’s top moves was trading wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for the No. 32 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. That pick was used to draft cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who had a strong rookie showing.
While his time with the Steelers as the acting GM has been short, he’s made strong additions in the draft and free agency as Pittsburgh prepares for its 18th consecutive winning season.
21) Ran Carthon, Tennessee Titans
If Will Levis emerges as a franchise quarterback, then Ran Carthon should eventually move up in the GM rankings.
After the Tennessee Titans ended Levis’ draft-day slide in 2023, Carthon has made it a priority to surround him with a favorable offensive environment.
Since Carthon took over in Tennessee, he has rebuilt the offensive line with two first-round picks and added playmakers on offense, such as DeAndre Hopkins, Tony Pollard, and Calvin Ridley.
Carthon has been aggressive in revamping the Titans’ defense, as well, most notably with the trade acquisition of L’Jarius Sneed.
22) Trent Baalke, Jacksonville Jaguars
Trent Baalke was a rare re-tread hire by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021, as NFL executives rarely get a second chance at being a general manager.
Following a six-year stint as the 49ers’ general manager, Baalke joined the Jaguars’ front office in 2020 and eventually got promoted to replace former GM Dave Caldwell.
Since taking over as the Jaguars GM, Baalke has been criticized for over-investing in non-premium positions such as linebacker and tight end, but his biggest mistake might have come in the 2022 NFL Draft.
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
With the No. 1 overall pick, Baalke made a surprising choice in EDGE Travon Walker over Aidan Hutchinson, and two years later, it appears to be the wrong decision.
While Trevor Lawrence provides Jacksonville with a lot of promise for the foreseeable future, Baalke doesn’t receive much credit for making an obvious choice at the top of the 2021 NFL Draft.
23) Mickey Loomis, New Orleans Saints
While the New Orleans Saints were one of the most successful teams in the 2000s under Sean Payton, they haven’t won more than nine games in a season since 2020, and it appears their salary cap mismanagement has finally caught up to them.
The Saints enter 2024 with a very mediocre outlook. They have an aging roster with few building blocks and limited salary cap flexibility.
Loomis had the perfect opportunity to commit to a rebuild after Drew Brees’ retirement, but since then, they have made shortsighted win-now moves that haven’t led to a postseason berth in a weak NFC South division.
24) Tom Telesco, Las Vegas Raiders
Like Baalke, Tom Telesco was another former NFL GM who was given a second opportunity when the Las Vegas Raiders hired him this past offseason.
Telesco joins the Raiders after a 10-year stint as the Chargers general manager in which they had an 84-95 record.
Although the Chargers only made the playoffs three times in 10 seasons under Telesco, he still had his share of hits as their GM, particularly in the NFL Draft.
Telesco made the wise choice in drafting Justin Herbert with the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to replace franchise quarterback Philip Rivers, and in 2013, he drafted future Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen in the third round.
25) Adam Peters, Washington Commanders
Coming from the 49ers after working his way through their scouting department, Adam Peters enters his first season as the general manager of the Washington Commanders in 2024.
In his first NFL draft as the Commanders’ GM, Peters used the No. 2 overall pick to select Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, hoping he’ll be the team’s franchise quarterback moving forward.
26) Joe Hortiz, Los Angeles Chargers
Joe Hortiz was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers this past offseason after 25 years with the Baltimore Ravens.
Hortiz, along with head coach Jim Harbaugh, will be challenged with rebuilding an aging roster around their franchise quarterback.
In their first offseason together, Hortiz and Harbaugh placed an emphasis on building through the trenches, using the No. 5 overall pick on OT Joe Alt.
27) Joe Schoen, New York Giants
In Joe Schoen’s first season with the New York Giants in 2022, they made a surprise playoff berth and pulled off an upset win over the Vikings in the Wild Card Round.
Since then, it has only gone downhill for Schoen. Signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract has been his most notable mistake.
As documented in “Hard Knocks,” Schoen tried and failed to move up in the 2024 NFL Draft to find Jones’ replacement, instead settling on giving his quarterback a much-needed No. 1 wide receiver in Malik Nabers.
While Schoen has mismanaged the quarterback situation, he deserves credit for building one of the best defensive lines in the NFL, led by Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns.
28) Terry Fontenot, Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have epitomized mediocrity since Terry Fontenot arrived in 2021, as they have gone 7-10 in three straight seasons.
Fontenot has made some head-scratching moves inside the top 10 of the NFL Draft. While Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson were considered two very talented prospects, Fontenot questionably invested in two non-premium positions in tight end and running back with premium draft capital.
Fontenot’s most surprising top-10 pick, however, came this past draft. He used the No. 8 selection on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. shortly after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.
29) Eliot Wolf, New England Patriots
Eliot Wolf not only has to follow Bill Belichick as the general manager of the New England Patriots, but he also has to clean up the mess the legendary head coach/executive has left behind.
After years of unsuccessful drafts and disappointing free agent signings, Wolf will be engineering a long rebuild in New England, as the Patriots have one of the weakest rosters in the NFL.
Wolf kicked off his first draft as the team’s lead executive by selecting Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick. After bypassing trade-down opportunities to acquire additional draft capital, Wolf’s tenure will be defined by whether Maye can become the Patriots’ franchise quarterback.
30) George Paton, Denver Broncos
Sean Payton has the most influence in Denver after he was hired to rebuild the Broncos after two critical errors made by GM George Paton that set the franchise back massively: Trading for Russell Wilson and hiring Nathaniel Hackett as head coach.
The Broncos’ trade for Wilson will go down as one of the biggest failures in modern NFL history, and Hackett has a strong argument for being the worst head coach of the century, which says a lot considering the competition of Urban Meyer, Adam Gase, and others.
The Broncos enter 2024 with the second-longest playoff drought in the NFL, and much of the blame goes to Paton’s crucial errors as general manager.
31) Dan Morgan, Carolina Panthers
At 32nd overall in the GM rankings, Dan Morgan can easily work his way up on the list if there are promising returns from his first offseason on the job.
Morgan made it a priority to improve the supporting cast around Bryce Young, as he invested heavily in the interior offensive line in free agency, traded for Diontae Johnson, and drafted Xavier Legette with the last pick of the first round.
One questionable move by Morgan, however, was trading up in the second round to select Jonathon Brooks. While Brooks could turn out to be a very productive player, the Panthers should have invested in a more premium position with so many holes on the roster.
While Morgan has a difficult job in rebuilding the Panthers, he was part of the regime who helped create this mess as the team’s assistant general manager under former GM Scott Fitterer.
Recently Fired NFL General Managers
Joe Douglas, New York Jets
The first general manager fired in 2024 was Jets GM Joe Douglas. Head coach Robert Saleh was fired after the team’s 2-3 start, and Douglas was also let go on Nov. 19.
The Jets were 30-64 in Douglas’ six seasons as the top executive. New York’s .319 winning percentage was the worst of all 32 teams over that span (2019-present).
Perhaps no general manager had a greater mixed bag of moves than Douglas throughout his stint as Jets GM.
Douglas sold high on safety Jamal Adams in 2020, in which the Jets got a massive haul for a disgruntled player who hasn’t returned to his All-Pro-form since. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Douglas drafted the eventual Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner, while also picking standout running back Breece Hall in the second round.
Douglas’ misses, however, might outweigh his hits. Most notably, Douglas whiffed on quarterback Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and only one player remains from his 2020 draft class, backup safety Ashtyn Davis.
In six seasons, Douglas failed to help the Jets snap their postseason drought.