Ten Potential Arizona Cardinals GM Candidates
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While the circumstances remain unclear surrounding Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim’s departure, it appears he may be leaving the organization for good.
While his health is obviously the most important thing here, and we wish him the best, it is still a business, and Michael Bidwill and the Cardinals must keep moving.
As things stand through 15 weeks of the NFL season, the Cardinals would have the 5th overall pick in the draft and it is arguably the most critical pick they will make since 2019. Kyler Murray was taken then and to be honest he has shown growth this year. Seeing his response to the ACL injury will be even more telling.
Looking to the immediate future, there needs to be a general manager to make picks, significantly better ones if we are being honest. Under Keim, his first-round picks since becoming general manager in 2013 include Jonathan Cooper, Deone Bucannon, D.J. Humphries, Robert Nkemdiche, Haason Reddick, Josh Rosen, Kyler Murray, Isaiah Simmons, and Zaven Collins.
Those are picks you have to get good, sustainable starters out of and he just hasn’t. Now we are seeing what that does to a team.
Here are ten candidates you should know and keep an eye on as a potential search for a new general manager gets underway.
Ten Potential Arizona Cardinals GM Candidates
Dan Morgan, Carolina Panthers Assistant GM
After his playing days ended in Carolina, Morgan quickly shifted to the personnel side, starting out as a scouting intern with the Seattle Seahawks. Quickly he would work his way up and become the Saints' assistant director of pro personnel after just one year. With New Orleans he would be responsible for scouting and influencing several draft picks that had the team be the picture of sustained success for the last couple of years.
Stops would also include Buffalo before landing back in Carolina where he was a Pro Bowl linebacker. Now he has been a part of several successful drafts for Carolina, we can’t blame him for the quarterback carousel though and in Arizona, it won’t matter.
Louis Riddick, ESPN Analyst and Former NFL Front Office Member
A name that comes up every hiring cycle is Louis Riddick and for good reason. He isn’t another token media member getting a chance because he was the former director of pro personnel with the Philadelphia Eagles before landing at ESPN.
During the hiring cycle in 2021, Riddick interviewed for both the Houston and Detroit general manager positions and was a finalist for the Lions before they went with Brad Holmes. This could be the cycle where Riddick makes the move back to the league and is pulled back into the league and away from the cameras.
Morocco Brown, Indianapolis Colts Director of College Scouting
Each year the Colts have a draft series titled With the Next Pick and one of its stars is Morocco Brown. He leads fans and viewers through the Colts' draft process and you see why his scouting department does so well to make Chris Ballard and the Colts look good.
During his tenure with Indianapolis, they have made a number of notable draft selections under his direction. Players such as Darius Leonard, Ryan Kelly, Quenton Nelson, and Michael Pittman Jr. are just a handful of the players who are now keystone pieces that are on the Colts' roster.
Ed Dodds, Indianapolis Colts Assistant General Manager
It's funny how each year, Ed Dodds is considered the best candidate for a general manager spot but each year he stays with the Colts. He and Chris Ballard have something special together and to leave that is tough.
Everything positive we said above on Brown, applies to Dodds. He should be considered the dream hire for the Cardinals but he is also going to be their white whale and sasquatch wrapped into one impossible capture.
John Dorsey, Detroit Lions Assistant and Former Cleveland Browns GM
A name that may not be as favorable but would be great for Arizona is John Dorsey. Whether fans like it or not, he fast-tracked this Cleveland Browns rebuild for Andrew Berry and company.
Dorsey was hired from Kansas City and immediately made big trades and smart draft picks. What was his eventual downfall was not managing the salary cap and head coach hiring so this could be the ultimate boom-or-bust hire.
Adam Peters, San Francisco 49ers Assistant GM
No better feeling than stealing from within your division and Peters would be a great hire regardless of that fact.
The 49ers hired him in 2017 as their vice president of player personnel after 15+ years in the league, and he was promoted to assistant general manager in 2021. He has interviewed in the past for the Carolina Panthers job but ultimately stayed in The Bay.
Mike Borgonzi, Kansas City Chiefs Assistant GM
Speaking of aggressive front offices, no one can stake claim to that more than Kansas City and they are Super Bowl contenders each year because of that.
You can see why Borgonzi gets people in the NFL excited. Names at the top of draft classes matter, we outlined that talking about Keim, but Borgonzi reportedly played a role in some later-round selections that make or break rosters and his two big prizes in the draft are Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce.
Eliot Wolf, New England Patriots Scouting Assistant
Wolf is the son of famed front office legend Ron Wolf who helped build teams such as the Buccaneers, Raiders, and Packers during his time. His son Eliot though is quietly carving out his own impressive resume.
Having worked around both John Dorsey previously and Bill Belichick currently, he has seen and heard perspectives not many others have. Both aggressive and passive approaches have been done and had success in both. He quietly is a phenomenal general manager candidate and could be perfect for Arizona.
Jeff Ireland, New Orleans Saints Assistant GM
Previously general manager for the Miami Dolphins, Ireland has recreated himself in New Orleans.
Having been in the big easy since 2015, Ireland has scouted and helped the team draft some of the best defensive players in the league. He constantly has his names tossed around in hiring cycles and now may be ready to take over a team of his own again. His strong scouting background and track record of late round success should have him be considered for the job.
Adrian Wilson, Arizona Cardinals VP of Pro Scouting
The easiest name to come up with when writing this piece was Adrian Wilson. The hard hitting safety for the team has carved out a tremendous role in the front office and has done well in it.
The one caveat that I am concerned with is would this be the breath of fresh air that the Cardinals need? Ultimately that will be up to Michael Bidwell but I have my concerns.
Other names to watch:
Will McClay, Cowboys VP of player personnel
Duke Tobin, Bengals director of player personnel
Monti Ossenfort, Titans director of player personnel
Brandon Brown, Eagles director of player personnel
Catherine Raiche, Eagles VP of football operations
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