While there isn’t as much turnover among NFL general managers as among head coaches, change does occur at the top of front office hierarchies. Last offseason, the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans were the only clubs to hire new GMs. But 12 general managers entered new roles over the 2021 and 2022 offseasons.
This year, the Las Vegas Raiders already have a vacancy after firing Dave Ziegler in October, while other teams around the league could part ways with their general manager in the coming months.
Let’s run through the top NFL GM candidates for 2024 and assess which executives could land new roles next year.
2024 NFL GM Candidates
Evaluating NFL GM candidates is a much more difficult exercise than sorting through potential head coaching candidates. NFL coordinators produce results via their units’ performance, but much of what personnel executives accomplish is completed behind the scenes.
Still, general manager candidates with experience for teams that regularly make the postseason and produce excellent free agent signings and draft classes will be at the top of the list for teams with GM openings.
Ian Cunningham, Asst. GM, Chicago Bears
Cunningham spent nearly a decade working under legendary Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome — “The reason I’m here is because of Ozzie,” Cunningham said in 2022 — before becoming Howie Roseman’s lieutenant with the Eagles.
Now an assistant GM under Ryan Poles in Chicago, Cunningham was reportedly offered the Cardinals’ general manager job earlier this year but turned it down. He also interviewed for the Titans’ GM gig twice before Tennessee hired Ran Carthon.
Adam Peters, Asst. GM, San Francisco 49ers
Formerly a talent evaluator who helped the Patriots and Broncos win Super Bowls over the past two decades, Peters joined the 494ers as their vice president of player personnel in 2017 before being promoted to assistant GM in 2021.
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Although he conducted multiple general manager interviews with the Panthers in 2021 and the Giants in 2022, Peters declined requests from the Cardinals and Titans this past offseason. He’s likely in a position to be picky about his next career move.
Alec Halaby, Asst. GM, Philadelphia Eagles
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has cleared the way for other teams to consider candidates who rose the analytic/operations ranks instead of taking a scouting track, and Halaby could be at the top of that list.
No club is more creative with salary cap maneuvers and roster machinations than the Eagles, and Halaby has been in Philadelphia in some capacity since 2007. He should start to hit the interview circuit after being promoted to assistant GM last summer.
Ed Dodds and Morroco Brown, Asst. GM/Chief Personnel Executive, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have reset their franchise by hiring Shane Steichen and drafting Anthony Richardson, but their 2023 success could eventually lead to front office brain drain.
Dodds has been asked to interview for six GM openings since 2020. He’s accepted some requests and declined others but hasn’t yet left Indianapolis. Brown met with the Steelers, Bears, and Falcons over the past two offseasons and also interviewed for an assistant GM job with the Eagles before the Colts promoted him to chief personnel executive in 2022.
Catherine Raîche and Glenn Cook, Asst. GMs, Cleveland Browns
Raîche is only 34 years old but is on track to become the NFL’s first female general manager. A former high-ranking exec with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts, Raîche worked with the Eagles before coming to Cleveland in 2022. She interviewed for the Vikings’ GM position before Minnesota hired Adofo-Mensah.
Raîche isn’t the only Browns assistant GM who’s generated interest around the league. Cook took meetings with the Vikings, Bears, and Titans over the past two offseasons and will likely be on shortlists again in 2024.
Mike Borgonzi, Asst. GM, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have been one of the NFL’s most successful franchises over the past decade, so it’s no surprise that former Kansas City executives such as Chris Ballard and Ryan Poles have landed GM gigs. Borgonzi, promoted to assistant general manager in 2021 after spending three seasons as the Chiefs’ director of football operations, could be the next KC staff member to find a top job.
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Borgonzi was in the running to replace fired Chiefs GM John Dorsey in 2017, but the role ultimately went to Brett Veach, who was sharing KC’s co-director of player personnel role with Borgonzi. While he’s never officially interviewed for a GM position, Borgonzi is mentioned as a hot candidate during every hiring cycle.
Joe Hortiz, Director of Player Personnel, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are one of the NFL’s most respected franchises, and Hortiz has been in the club’s front office for over a quarter-century. Thought to be an early favorite for the Giants’ GM gig before New York hired Joe Schoen, Hortiz has also interviewed with the Cardinals and Steelers in recent years.
Champ Kelly, Interim GM, Las Vegas Raiders
Kelly, who’s worked in NFL front offices since 2007, has been at the forefront of general manager searches over the past two offseasons, but he’s yet to land a GM position. He interviewed with the Panthers and Broncos in 2021 and the Bears and Raiders in 2022.
Promoted to Las Vegas’ interim GM role following the firing of Dave Ziegler, Kelly could be a candidate to take over as the Raiders’ full-time decision-maker. But he should have options around the league if Vegas wants to start fresh.
John Spytek, Asst. GM, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It wasn’t just Tom Brady’s presence that allowed the Buccaneers to win Super Bowl 55. Tampa Bay also hit on draft picks and built a deep roster that included both stars and depth pieces. Spytek, GM Jason Licht’s right-hand man, played a prominent role in rebuilding the Bucs’ talent base, with recent early-round draft picks like OT Luke Goedeke and DT Calijah Kancey settling in as long-term contributors.
Trent Kirchner, Vice President of Player Personnel, Seattle Seahawks
Kirchner has been mentioned as a GM candidate for the better part of a decade, but he’s only interviewed for two jobs (Colts in 2017, Texans in 2021). He’s heavily involved in Seattle’s decision-making process alongside general manager John Schneider, so Kirchner may not want to leave the Seahawks unless a perfect opportunity arises.
Jeff Ireland, Asst. GM, New Orleans Saints
Ireland’s run as the Dolphins’ general manager from 2008-14 was mostly unsuccessful, but he’s rebuilt his reputation as an evaluator for the Saints in 2015. Ireland’s 2017 draft class — which included Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramcyzk, Marcus Williams, Alvin Kamara, and Trey Hendrickson — remains the stuff of legends.
New Orleans’ horrendous salary cap management and draft pick trades have put the organization in a perilous position, but it’s unclear how involved Ireland is in those machinations. Purely as a scout, Ireland is among the NFL’s best.
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