What is an example of a Great GM in Pro Football?

[WYBRONCO]

I am not starting this thread to necessarily criticize or compliment John Elway. What is an example of a Great GM in Pro Football? Do they draft great QB's? Sign good contracts? Find hidden gems in the Draft? Make smart free agent signings? Take chances on players?

Still not a fan of Bill Belechick but he has been considered a good GM in the past by many in the NFL. He drafted Tom Brady. Belechick has not had a ton of high first round picks and their track record of SB's and wins speak for themselves. However, he really has only drafted 1 good QB, I am not ready to call Garappalo a bust by any means but not great.

I think Ozzie Newsome was an excellent GM.

The thing is everybody drafts, signs, overpays, some stinkers. All GM's miss on what were considered sure fire first rounders sometimes. So again what is a good/great GM?

[samparnell]

George Young

Al Davis

[broncoslover115]

I am not starting this thread to necessarily criticize or compliment John Elway. What is an example of a Great GM in Pro Football? Do they draft great QB's? Sign good contracts? Find hidden gems in the Draft? Make smart free agent signings? Take chances on players?

Still not a fan of Bill Belechick but he has been considered a good GM in the past by many in the NFL. He drafted Tom Brady. Belechick has not had a ton of high first round picks and their track record of SB's and wins speak for themselves. However, he really has only drafted 1 good QB, I am not ready to call Garappalo a bust by any means but not great.

I think Ozzie Newsome was an excellent GM.

The thing is everybody drafts, signs, overpays, some stinkers. All GM's miss on what were considered sure fire first rounders sometimes. So again what is a good/great GM?

Actually, I live in Boston and both their sports media and fans do not consider BB a good GM and have been questioning his draft picks for several years now.

People are especially questioning his GM skills because his previous and current team is devoid of a lot of talent; especially in the WR in years. I’m actually listening to a sports show right now and they’re saying the same thing.

They question drafting Sony Michel in the 1st round, drafted N’Keel Harry who everyone hates because he’s a total bust.

While the likes of ESPN or NFLN constantly praise everything he does, they believe his role as GM is lacking.

[CanDB]

To start:

Ozzie Newsome is a great example. One of the finest drafters. Can you imagine, his first 2 picks were Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis!

Dick Haley..the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70s were incredibly successful, thanks to his leadership/management. He was touted for assembling what would become one of the most talented rosters in NFL history that would go on to win four Super Bowls in six seasons. From 1972 to 1974 he would select no fewer than six future Hall of Famers.

Bill Walsh....constructed the most consistently dominant dynasty in NFL history featuring arguably the greatest quarterback (Montana), wide receiver (Rice) and defensive back (Lott) of all-time on the same team. He pulled the trigger on the key trade for Steve Young that extended the 49ers’ success for another decade.

George Halas....He was the first true triple threat in NFL history. George Halas was the owner, the head coach and general manager of the Chicago Bears from their inception in the 1920s into the 1960s. During that span his team won eight championships and set a pace of producing groundbreaking Hall of Famers that few will ever match.

Al Davis had a fabulous eye for talent as well.

So yes, a lot of this has to do with understanding and acquiring talent. But clearly, being a businessman could be a great asset. There is a lot of managing going on, financial and human resource wise, and it is clearly much bigger of a job than selecting players.

[WYBRONCO]

Actually, I live in Boston and both their sports media and fans do not consider BB a good GM and have been questioning his draft picks for several years now.

People are especially questioning his GM skills because his previous and current team is devoid of a lot of talent; especially in the WR in years. I’m actually listening to a sports show right now and they’re saying the same thing.

They question drafting Sony Michel in the 1st round, drafted N’Keel Harry who everyone hates because he’s a total bust.

While the likes of ESPN or NFLN constantly praise everything he does, they believe his role as GM is lacking.

Interesting. Lately he has had a major talent drop off and hasn't drafted well to replace it. I have felt that Gronkowski and Brady have saved his inability to draft well at WR for years.

[sra84]

While not officially a GM, Jimmy Johnson comes to mind.

The Herschel Walker trade, his eye for talent, along with his connection to the college game from his time as Miami head coach, and the way he basically created the draft value chart.

If not for Jerry Jones' ego, Dallas could have been as big a dynasty, if not bigger, than New England.

[broncoslover115]

Interesting. Lately he has had a major talent drop off and hasn't drafted well to replace it. I have felt that Gronkowski and Brady have saved his inability to draft well at WR for years.

Yup, that’s exactly their point. Having this and last years team so devoid of talent is pretty shocking. Some say he lets his ego make decisions.

[dbfansincefeb87]

Not really answering the question but i think there could be a lot of good gm’s both now and came and gone that you didn’t here about who either did well or just didn’t quite get enough wins and got phased out , a bit left field but i’m in england and there’s been an american pro football journalist and broadcaster mike carlson who started doing games on free to air tv here around 98 and i can’t believe he’s never worked in football at any level only the media , ok you can say working in the media he doesn’t get fired on any football acquisition decisions but it would be really interesting to see him given a shake his eruditeness is really impressive , some impressive posters on here too i might add , he was a teammate of bill belichick’s at wesleyan university in connecticut in the early 70’s and i’m pretty sure is a pats fan but that can be excused coming from connecticut , he might be on the talksport 2 this sunday nov 8th at 1700 gmt on their nfl show to listen to on the net , i don’t know how much airtime he gets though i haven’t listened to it for while .

[Capt. Jack]

John Elway is 1 example of a Great GM !
Take over a struggling team and lead them to a couple Super Bowls and win 1 !!!!

#7 = 3

[GiddyupGetEm]

Kevin Colbert is by far the best GM in the NFL. He drafts players in all position groups who perform above expectation every year. And he is usually drafting in the late 20s. As a result of good drafting, the Steelers have less demand on free agency, which allows them to keep their salary cap manageable.

I really hate the Steelers, but I have tremendous respect for Colbert and the Rooneys.

[GiddyupGetEm]

John Elway is 1 example of a Great GM !
Take over a struggling team and lead them to a couple Super Bowls and win 1 !!!!

#7 = 3

So how do you explain the losses since 2016? Or the squandered first and second round draft picks? Or the bad free agent acquisitions?

[underrated29]

So how do you explain the losses since 2016? Or the squandered first and second round draft picks? Or the bad free agent acquisitions?

Just like any other gm does is my guess.

How do you explain winning the sb?
How do you explain the best offense the world has ever seen, ever?
How do you explain one of the best defenses the world has ever seen?

thats a lazy argument. For every Paxton Lynch I can name von miller. For every juwann James I can name Aquib Talib.

And for all the other players you very conveniently decided to leave out.....ill just list a few real fast, Danny trev, chj, lindsay, tim Patrick, Bassey, aj Johnson, Julius Thomas, will parks, McManus, Shelby Harris, janovich, and the many many more.....ps the first like 3 are pro bowl players and all pros.....

Why don't you tell me 10 gms since 2016..no, we will help you, make it easier on you..

10 gas, not even 1/3rd of the league find 3 pro bowl players in rd 6 or later.. anytime 2010 or later. Fire away!
how about 5? Name 5 gms. Surely,, you can do that, especially if elway is so bad. Name 5. Thats 1/6th of the league to find 3 pro bowl players in the last 10 years from rd 6 or later. Come on 5 out of 32, can't be that hard since good gms fall off trees like apples.

[GiddyupGetEm]

Just like any other gm does is my guess.

How do you explain winning the sb?
How do you explain the best offense the world has ever seen, ever?
How do you explain one of the best defenses the world has ever seen?

thats a lazy argument. For every Paxton Lynch I can name von miller. For every juwann James I can name Aquib Talib.

And for all the other players you very conveniently decided to leave out.....ill just list a few real fast, Danny trev, chj, lindsay, tim Patrick, Bassey, aj Johnson, Julius Thomas, will parks, McManus, Shelby Harris, janovich, and the many many more.....ps the first like 3 are pro bowl players and all pros.....

Why don't you tell me 10 gms since 2016..no, we will help you, make it easier on you..

10 gas, not even 1/3rd of the league find 3 pro bowl players in rd 6 or later.. anytime 2010 or later. Fire away!
how about 5? Name 5 gms. Surely,, you can do that, especially if elway is so bad. Name 5. Thats 1/6th of the league to find 3 pro bowl players in the last 10 years from rd 6 or later. Come on 5 out of 32, can't be that hard since good gms fall off trees like apples.

Answers:
1: Peyton Manning and Wade Philips
2: Peyton Manning
3: 2015 was a great defense, but not a historically great defense. But I give more credit to Wade Philips than John Elway.

Paxton Lynch/Von Miller point: 1st and 2nd round picks are far more important to a team. Von and Courtland Sutton are the only solid early round picks Elway has made so far who have exceeded expectation. Here are Elway's 1st and 2nd round mistakes: Rahim Moore, Brock Osweiler, Sylvester Williams, Montee Ball, Bradley Roby, Cody Latimer, Shane Ray, Ty Sambraillo, Paxton Lynch, Adam Gotsis, Garrett Bolles, Demarcus Walker. The jury is still out on Chubb, Risner, Fant, Lock. But overall, the Broncos are a weak team lacking playmakers because Elway has squandered a decade of early round picks.

Juwan James/Aqib Talib point: Our free agents in 2012-105 came to the Broncos to play with Peyton Manning. Do you think the Tampa Bay free agents in 2020 are coming to the Buccaneers now because of Jason Licht? No, they are going to Tampa because of Tom Brady!

10 GMs point: You are 100% wrong. Elway in nine drafts (I won't include 2020 as his 10th yet) has drafted 70 players. Just FOUR have made the Pro Bowl. They are Von, Julius Thomas, Courtland Sutton, and Malik Jackson, who made the PB in Jacksonville AFTER he already left Denver, so he doesn't really count. So Elway is three out of 70 for the Pro Bowl. That is ONE OF THE WORST records of all NFL GMs.

Finally, with all those players you listed, none of them are elite. They are solid, and I love Phil Lindsay, but they aren't good enough to make up for the dozens of empty draft picks Elway wasted.

[58Miller]

Explain why Bellicheck who has been the best GM in the league isn’t winning now! He lost a HOF Qb just like we did ! Takes time to rebuild.

[broncolee]

Belichick gets more credit for being a coach than the GM.

Ozzie was a great GM.

I think a great GM consistently finds players that keep the team in playoff contention.