Dolphins GM Search Tracker: First Candidates Revealed

The Miami Dolphins are looking for a new general manager for the first time since 2016.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier during his pre-draft press conference in 2024. | HAL HABIB / The Palm Beach Post / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Miami Dolphins indeed are wasting no time in trying to find a new general manager.

According to multiple reports from NFL Network, the Dolphins have requested interviews with five front-office members from other teams: Rich McKay of the Los Angeles Rams, Jon-Eric Sullivan of the Green Bay Packers, Alec Halaby of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Josh Williams and Tariq Ahmad of the San Francisco 49ers.

There's a clear pattern with the five candidates in that they're all employed by successful organizations — the four teams involved are in the playoffs — and have worked closely for GMs or scouting executives with a proven track record of finding talent.

Remember that scouting is apparently the biggest priority for owner Stephen Ross and his team conducting the search because of the idea of a three-way working relationship with the GM, head coach Mike McDaniel, or his replacement if Ross decides to make a change there, and Senior VP of Football and Business Administration Brandon Shore, who is the team's cap guru.

To conduct that search, Ross has enlisted the help of ESPN analyst (and Hall of Fame quarterback) Troy Aikman as a consultant to provide his input along with those of Tom Garfinkel, Dan Marino and Daniel Sillman, the CEO of Ross-owned Relevent Sports and Ross' son-in-law.

THE EARLY CANDIDATES

The Dolphins are looking for a new GM for the first time since 2016 when they hired Chris Grier, who was dismissed on Oct. 31 after nine years on the job.

Champ Kelly, who was hired last March as a senior personnel executive, finished out the season as interim general manager and figures to at the very least get an interview for the permanent position.

The five names revealed Monday were all included in a list of highly touted GM candidates produced by SI national reporter Albert Breer last week.

McKay is an interesting candidate with NFL family ties — his father, Rich, was a front office executive with the Atlanta Falcons, and his grandfather is legendary former coach John McKay.

Ahmad and Williams both have ties to McDaniel from their time together with the San Francisco 49ers, for whom McDaniel served as an assistant from 2017 until he became the Dolphins' head coach in 2022.

Halaby has become a hot name around the NFL thanks to the Eagles' success, who won the Super Bowl last season, two years after losing in the big game against the Kansas City Chiefs.