Paton to Bronco's?
Three qualified participants are left standing in the Denver Broncos general manager sweepstakes. But a new, impenetrable front-runner reportedly has emerged as the search nears its apex.
9News' Mike Klis reported Sunday that Minnesota Vikings assistant GM George Paton "remains the candidate to beat" in a three-man race that — after New England Patriots assistant director of player personnel Dave Ziegler pulled out — includes Chicago Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly and New Orleans Saints director of pro scouting Terry Fontenot.
The Broncos conducted Zoom interviews over the weekend with each of the candidates, as well as in-house director of college scouting Brian Stark. The brain-trust — a hiring contingent comprised of outgoing GM John Elway, soon-to-be outgoing CEO Joe Ellis, head coach Vic Fangio, and PR boss Patrick Smyth — will conduct at least one in-person meeting prior to announcing its decision.
“I see the dominoes falling within the next 24-48 hours," Klis reported.
Paton is annually among the league's hottest executive prospects. He just completed his 14th season in Minnesota, working alongside GM Rick Spielman. Together, since 2012, the duo has overseen two NFC North division titles, four playoff berths, and four double-digit win campaigns — a cumulative 79-63-2 record.
The Vikings have drafted particularly well under Paton's watch. Per the team's official website, his "primary focus is coordinate scouting and personnel functions" as well as "lend his expertise to the College Scouting Department."
Here's the rub: Paton is drawing interest from numerous other teams; he's considered the favorite for the Detroit Lions' GM vacancy. So if Denver wants him, they might have to put on the full-court press.
Paton and Kelly, another top candidate, are free to accept the job and begin work immediately. But Fontenot, because the Saints are in the playoffs, might have to wait weeks to formally put pen to paper, per NFL rules.
Fontenot reportedly is the front-runner to head the Atlanta Falcons' front office, with Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady part of a packaged deal to become Atlanta's next HC
https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/vikings-george-paton-broncos-general-manager-rumor
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Somebody should tell them we suck at drafting...
Little rundown on amount of players heading to a Pro Bowl and draft record when George Paton was with Minnesota Vikings. pic.twitter.com/KKITJRhXwr
— 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 (@CameronParkerPO) January 13, 2021
@"MaroonBells" said: Somebody should tell them we suck at drafting...https://twitter.com/CameronParkerPO/status/
https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/
Well, where does the buck stop then?
2/8 vs LaFleur and Nagy
Missing playoff's 2 of the past 3 seasons
Winning the North 2 of 7 seasons
Hmmmmm....
@"purplefaithful" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Somebody should tell them we suck at drafting...https://twitter.com/CameronParkerPO/status/
https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/
Well, where does the buck stop then?2/8 vs LaFleur and Nagy
Missing playoff's 2 of the past 3 seasons
Winning the North 2 of 7 seasonsHmmmmm....
It sure as hell ain't drafting. You want a GM who wins championships? John Elway's free. He just fired himself as the guy in charge of personnel decisions and hired our guy.
@"PSBLAKE" said:for the record, most of the NFC East missed the playoffs by one game... hardly the benchmark that it used to be huh?@"JimmyinSD" said:and we still missed the playoffs by one game and went 7-9.@"PSBLAKE" said: Honestly I think the Wilfs and spielman have created a respected stable organization. Just need a franchise QB And: Online Dline Lbs Dbs Special teams Another Wr or two Oh and some cap space But other than that we are stacked! B)
@"MaroonBells" said:@"purplefaithful" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Somebody should tell them we suck at drafting...https://twitter.com/CameronParkerPO/status/
https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/
Well, where does the buck stop then?2/8 vs LaFleur and Nagy
Missing playoff's 2 of the past 3 seasons
Winning the North 2 of 7 seasonsHmmmmm....
It sure as hell ain't drafting. You want a GM who wins championships? John Elway's free. He just fired himself as the guy in charge of personnel decisions and hired our guy.
You know where I'm pointing my accusing finger...And it aint scouting or the front office.
@"purplefaithful" said:@"MaroonBells" said:@"purplefaithful" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Somebody should tell them we suck at drafting...https://twitter.com/CameronParkerPO/status/
https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/
Well, where does the buck stop then?2/8 vs LaFleur and Nagy
Missing playoff's 2 of the past 3 seasons
Winning the North 2 of 7 seasonsHmmmmm....
It sure as hell ain't drafting. You want a GM who wins championships? John Elway's free. He just fired himself as the guy in charge of personnel decisions and hired our guy.
You know where I'm pointing my accusing finger...And it aint scouting or the front office.
Mike Zimmer's girlfriend? :-)Hey, if I ran the world, we'd demote Zim to DC and hire a new head coach who can game plan better. But we all know it doesn't work like that. So my opinion remains: we're probably better off with Zimmer as our D guy and our HC than not have him at all. I just have more confidence in him than pretty much anyone else when it comes repairing this defense.
Well, she is a hottie!!
I agree on getting the D back to some prominence is right in Zimmer's wheelhouse...Where we differ is the urgency to make a change to the coaching staff in spite of that.
There is no denying the team has underperformed quite a bit under his helm.
I'm done with my fan pity party now...It's pretty obvious the Wilfs are going status quo in 21.
Vikings GM Rick Spielman loses 'sounding board' as George Paton departsThe general manager doesn't expect major front office changes after his assistant was hired by the Broncos.Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman sounded hopeful that he won't be losing any more front office personnel to the Broncos after Denver hired his trusted longtime top assistant George Paton as general manager on Wednesday.
"There are rules in place, who you can and can't take," Spielman said Thursday. "So I know, as I've said, George is a man of integrity. I think he wants to get his opportunity and is going to get his opportunity to build the culture that he wants out there. But there are a lot of rules in place that I hopefully won't lose anyone."
Jamaal Stephenson, who has led the Vikings' college scouting department since Scott Studwell stepped aside in 2014, has been considered a possible hire for Paton. But Stephenson was among the first names Spielman mentioned as key figures he has "the utmost trust in" to help him fill this big void with the "status quo" for now.
"Jamaal Stephenson is excellent in leading our colleges," Spielman said. "I think Ryan Monnens has done an incredible job being our pro director along with Reed Burckhardt.
"I think we have a very unique staff. There's not been a lot of turnover on the staff since I've been here. … I've been very fortunate to keep the people here that do have a major influence on all the decisions we do make. I don't see that changing."
Spielman also said Rob Brzezinski — executive vice president of football operations and trusted handler of the salary cap – "is going to be a critical part of this going forward as well."
Brzezinski and Paton have been integral parts of the team's draft day wheelings and dealings.
Spielman said he hasn't decided what to do with Paton's position long term.
"We will stay status quo ," he said. "We have a lot of great people in this building who will do a great job. And I think I will just reassess where we're at after the draft and try to make some decisions and determinations after that."
Paton's departure Wednesday was a bittersweet moment Spielman and the rest of the football world have seen coming for some time. Coveted by numerous teams, Paton has been interviewing and declining job offers for years before finally agreeing to a six-year deal with the Broncos.
Spielman said he was excited for Paton and sad for himself. They've worked together for decades in Chicago, Miami and Minnesota after meeting in the late 1990s when the Bears hired Paton as an intern and put him with Spielman, their pro personnel director.
"He's been my sounding board, my closest friend and truly like a brother to me," Spielman said. "Probably the biggest honor I've had was when George and Barb, his wife, asked me to be the godfather of their son, Beau."
Spielman said he'll miss Paton's friendship most of all. A bond that allowed Paton to sometimes pull the boss aside and, according to Spielman, say, "Hey, Rick, you're screwing this up, let's get it fixed."
Draft days will be interesting to watch without Paton working the phones for Spielman.
"We're very active in trades," Spielman said. "George and Rob are my two trade guys. When you know each other so well, you don't even have to say anything. If you just look, he knows what I'm thinking and I already know what they're thinking.
"It's that unique synergy that you have with people that you don't even have to say anything. You just know. I think that's what's made it so smooth over the years that we've worked together."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-gm-rick-spielman-loses-sounding-board-as-george-paton-departs/600010661/
@"JimmyinSD" said:LOL@"PSBLAKE" said:for the record, most of the NFC East missed the playoffs by one game... hardly the benchmark that it used to be huh?@"JimmyinSD" said:and we still missed the playoffs by one game and went 7-9.@"PSBLAKE" said: Honestly I think the Wilfs and spielman have created a respected stable organization. Just need a franchise QB And: Online Dline Lbs Dbs Special teams Another Wr or two Oh and some cap space But other than that we are stacked! B)
@"purplefaithful" said: Vikings GM Rick Spielman loses 'sounding board' as George Paton departsThe general manager doesn't expect major front office changes after his assistant was hired by the Broncos.Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman sounded hopeful that he won't be losing any more front office personnel to the Broncos after Denver hired his trusted longtime top assistant George Paton as general manager on Wednesday."There are rules in place, who you can and can't take," Spielman said Thursday. "So I know, as I've said, George is a man of integrity. I think he wants to get his opportunity and is going to get his opportunity to build the culture that he wants out there. But there are a lot of rules in place that I hopefully won't lose anyone."
Jamaal Stephenson, who has led the Vikings' college scouting department since Scott Studwell stepped aside in 2014, has been considered a possible hire for Paton. But Stephenson was among the first names Spielman mentioned as key figures he has "the utmost trust in" to help him fill this big void with the "status quo" for now.
"Jamaal Stephenson is excellent in leading our colleges," Spielman said. "I think Ryan Monnens has done an incredible job being our pro director along with Reed Burckhardt.
"I think we have a very unique staff. There's not been a lot of turnover on the staff since I've been here. … I've been very fortunate to keep the people here that do have a major influence on all the decisions we do make. I don't see that changing."
Spielman also said Rob Brzezinski — executive vice president of football operations and trusted handler of the salary cap – "is going to be a critical part of this going forward as well."
Brzezinski and Paton have been integral parts of the team's draft day wheelings and dealings.
Spielman said he hasn't decided what to do with Paton's position long term.
"We will stay status quo ," he said. "We have a lot of great people in this building who will do a great job. And I think I will just reassess where we're at after the draft and try to make some decisions and determinations after that."
Paton's departure Wednesday was a bittersweet moment Spielman and the rest of the football world have seen coming for some time. Coveted by numerous teams, Paton has been interviewing and declining job offers for years before finally agreeing to a six-year deal with the Broncos.
Spielman said he was excited for Paton and sad for himself. They've worked together for decades in Chicago, Miami and Minnesota after meeting in the late 1990s when the Bears hired Paton as an intern and put him with Spielman, their pro personnel director.
"He's been my sounding board, my closest friend and truly like a brother to me," Spielman said. "Probably the biggest honor I've had was when George and Barb, his wife, asked me to be the godfather of their son, Beau."
Spielman said he'll miss Paton's friendship most of all. A bond that allowed Paton to sometimes pull the boss aside and, according to Spielman, say, "Hey, Rick, you're screwing this up, let's get it fixed."
Draft days will be interesting to watch without Paton working the phones for Spielman.
"We're very active in trades," Spielman said. "George and Rob are my two trade guys. When you know each other so well, you don't even have to say anything. If you just look, he knows what I'm thinking and I already know what they're thinking.
"It's that unique synergy that you have with people that you don't even have to say anything. You just know. I think that's what's made it so smooth over the years that we've worked together."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-gm-rick-spielman-loses-sounding-board-as-george-paton-departs/600010661/
Sucks to lose part of the machine. There are things the Vikings don't do well, but one thing they do better than almost anyone else is draft. Anyone who thinks otherwise is
Interesting to hear that George and even the cap guy would work phones for Rick. There are teams who don't trade because they don't know what the hell they're doing. I've heard Denver media say that this ability to maneuver around the draft is part of the reason they wanted Paton.
Makes me wonder if we'll see a Denver/Minnesota trade this April.
Watching Paton interviewed on local media, I just realized it's the first time I've ever seen his lips move. To his credit, he didn't seem uncomfortable. At least not Zygi-level uncomfortable.
@"MaroonBells" said: Watching Paton interviewed on local media, I just realized it's the first time I've ever seen his lips move. To his credit, he didn't seem uncomfortable. At least not Zygi-level uncomfortable.Yah, Zygi was never that engaging and was somewhat painful to watch and listen to.
Mark is now pretty much the sole Wilf figure and mouthpiece to the masses...
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