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The Front Office

Wonder if he gets elevated to 'Director of Player Personnel' and is in charge of roster compilation with Rivera having final say. I don't know that a 'traditional' GM role is even possible in our front office.
 
I don't believe this is confirmed....

If this is true, it's ANOTHER former Panther joining the ranks.



Under Rivera, leaks have been contained... according to this tweet, it hasn't even been announced to the players yet. It may ultimately happen but I still wonder.
 
Well, if Hurney is the hire I guess Gibson and McKissic will be elated...Hurney loves breaking the bamk to pay Rbs.........
 
Gibson has 3 years remaining on his rookie contract, McKissic is signed through next season.

The real concern is when the DL guys start to come to the end of their current contracts. It’s going to be nearly impossible to keep them all. I doubt Kerrigan stays due to that plus his apparent desire for more playing time.
 
Folks make it sound like these two have decades of working together, but they really don't. Yeah - it would be a Panther's re-hire - kind of. Why kind of? Well - it was Hurney who made the Rivera hire in Carolina, and was then promptly fired himself the next year. He was rehired in 2017 and then got the axe again shortly thereafter when the Panthers moved on from Ron Rivera.

I've read and read trying to get a better handle on what vision is driving the Washington front office restructure and I don't know any more now than I did before. I think, presumably, Hurney will handle 'shit Ron doesn't have the time or interest to handle'. What might fall into that bucket? COVID-related stuff, which right now, must be an enormous amount of work. Communication with the league. Administrative planning for all football events (draft, free agency, training camp, etc...). Those kinds of things.

I think it's clear that we already have our Football GM - and his name is Ron Rivera. Titles aside, Rivera will continue to drive all conversations and be the ultimate decision maker on anything football-related. That isn't going to change whether he gives Hurney the 'GM Title' or promoted whiz kid Kyle Smith. From everything I'm reading, if I had to guess they will promote Kyle Smith to an 'Assistant GM' position reporting to Hurney, with a plan to succeed him in a few years (Hurney is 65 and probably on his last gig if hired here).

The only thing that calls that pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking into question is that Rivera interviewed Erik Stokes, his Director of Pro Personnel, for the GM job. If they elevate Kyle Smith to Assistant GM, possible Stokes might move up into Kyle's position. You do have to wonder if Stokes was 'asked' to interview for the GM position or whether Rivera encourages internal candidates to apply for new roles and this was part of that.

It's hard to read the tea leaves.

We'll know shortly though, as if Kyle Smith does feel snubbed or that he's not being given earned opportunities, I think he'll make that clear immediately after a Hurney announcement. If he stays, I think some sort of promotion would also likely be impending.
 
Boone said:
Folks make it sound like these two have decades of working together, but they really don't. Yeah - it would be a Panther's re-hire - kind of. Why kind of? Well - it was Hurney who made the Rivera hire in Carolina, and was then promptly fired himself the next year. He was rehired in 2017 and then got the axe again shortly thereafter when the Panthers moved on from Ron Rivera.

I've read and read trying to get a better handle on what vision is driving the Washington front office restructure and I don't know any more now than I did before. I think, presumably, Hurney will handle 'shit Ron doesn't have the time or interest to handle'. What might fall into that bucket? COVID-related stuff, which right now, must be an enormous amount of work. Communication with the league. Administrative planning for all football events (draft, free agency, training camp, etc...). Those kinds of things.

I think it's clear that we already have our Football GM - and his name is Ron Rivera. Titles aside, Rivera will continue to drive all conversations and be the ultimate decision maker on anything football-related. That isn't going to change whether he gives Hurney the 'GM Title' or promoted whiz kid Kyle Smith. From everything I'm reading, if I had to guess they will promote Kyle Smith to an 'Assistant GM' position reporting to Hurney, with a plan to succeed him in a few years (Hurney is 65 and probably on his last gig if hired here).

The only thing that calls that pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking into question is that Rivera interviewed Erik Stokes, his Director of Pro Personnel, for the GM job. If they elevate Kyle Smith to Assistant GM, possible Stokes might move up into Kyle's position. You do have to wonder if Stokes was 'asked' to interview for the GM position or whether Rivera encourages internal candidates to apply for new roles and this was part of that.

It's hard to read the tea leaves.

We'll know shortly though, as if Kyle Smith does feel snubbed or that he's not being given earned opportunities, I think he'll make that clear immediately after a Hurney announcement. If he stays, I think some sort of promotion would also likely be impending.
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JP Finlay was on with the Junkies and he brought up another good point. Hurney likely could be getting the nod over Smith because of his experience with contracts and the business side of the player personnel. Roster management vs player evaluation. Kyle Smith has been ascending but under Allen, Eric Schaeffer was the contracts and numbers guy. Hurney has that, Kyle Smith does not.

I'm not a huge fan of bringing in a bunch of guys from the Panthers, but one other thing we can unequivocally say is that this not a Dan crony. This is not a yes man for Dan Snyder to undercut the football people. You hope he's not a yes man for Rivera.
 
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This franchise really doesn't give a damn about homegrown talent.
 
Rivera is calling the shots. He has no allegiance to a guy like Smith. I understand your concern and point, but it would actually be dysfunctional if Rivera were forced to keep people if he didn’t think they are the best fit.
 
The difference here is Washington chose not to extend or promote Smith whereas Shanahan, McVay, etc had no interest in staying for this dumpster fire under Allen and left as soon as they could.

The NFL rule about giving SF a draft pick because they ‘developed’ Mayhew is a joke.

How about rewarding the teams that actually hire minorities into TOP jobs.

Conceivably you could have a team with quality mid-level minority candidates that chooses never to elevate them to a visible job.

The fact someone else saw the talent isn’t necessarily a credit to them.
 
Boone said:
Rivera is calling the shots. He has no allegiance to a guy like Smith. I understand your concern and point, but it would actually be dysfunctional if Rivera were forced to keep people if he didn’t think they are the best fit.
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He said one of the reasons he came here was because he liked the young talent on the team. If that's so, why get rid of the guy who had a major role in bringing that talent here?
Why give him a promotion when you first came on board?
Bunch of BS if you ask me........
 
I don’t know why. I think there have to be reasons. The fact that we don’t know what they are doesn’t necessarily mean they are baseless or wrong.

I get you - of all the folks in Ashburn who would end up outside looking in, Smith wouldn’t have been the one I would’ve predicted.

I think it’s been out out there pretty openly that Smith is a talent evaluator and doesn’t have the skills or experience required of a GM yet. If that’s the case, what is Rivera supposed to do - give him the job because fans want him to?

I think the fact that Rivera hired very experienced guys probably speaks to that.
 
And DP - are we sure Rivera has any intent on ‘getting rid of’ Smith? He did promote him (likely giving him a big raise) and he still holds that role. We’ve all wanted a bigger job in a company and may have applied or interviewed for it or thought we were next in line to get it, only for that not to happen. That doesn’t mean our employer doesn’t hold us in high regard or respect and appreciate our talents. When that happens, what happens next is totally up to that individual.
 
Losing Kyle Smith is a stupid move by RR, should never of even came close to it. Going with retreads over a VERY promising & young talent evaluator is asinine and a very Washington thing to do.

Its obvious this is Ron’s team, the problem with it is nobody is higher up or even leveled to point out moves that shouldn’t be made.
 
Win4us said:
Losing Kyle Smith is a stupid move by RR, should never of even came close to it. Going with retreads over a VERY promising & young talent evaluator is asinine and a very Washington thing to do.

Its obvious this is Ron’s team, the problem with it is nobody is higher up or even leveled to point out moves that shouldn’t be made.
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Obviously - we all have a right to an opinion. Here's mine.

The only thing potentially SAVING this franchise is that Ron is making decisions. You say 'retreads'. I say tons of NFL experience. Assuming Smith is on the way out (and that is an assumption), I'd presume the only thing that would prevent that is naming him the GM outright? What evidence is there that he a) is ready to be a GM, or b) would excel at it? Because he's had some good draft slates? There's a lot more required of a GM, even one with a limited role, than that.

None of us know dick about Kyle Smith other than that he's had some good drafts - but we are going to throw Rivera under the bus because he wasn't comfortable making him the 2nd in command?

I don't know if Mayhew as GM and Hurney in whatever his role ultimately proves to be will be a genius move or a disaster. But I also don't know whether Smith would be in over his head with zero experience either.

And again - if Smith leaves because he didn't get a 2nd promotion within a year of his last, that's on Smith - not on Rivera because he didn't give him the keys to the entire franchise.
 
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