As many of you already know, ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Colts have hired Ryan Grigson as their new general manager. Grigson was the director of college scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles, and fits profile Jim Irsay was looking for in a young personnel executive who has never been a general manager before.
Grigson, who played in the NFL as an offensive linemen, is known for his passion and an eye for detail when scouting college talent. From the east coast-based NFL people I talk to, Grigson is a great football person. Jason Brewer of Bleeding Green Nation texted me about Grigson a week ago and told me he is highly valued within that organization.
Also, Grigson is from Highland, Indiana.
On the surface, this is a very strong hire. My personal bias was for Irsay to hire Marc Ross of the Giants, but within NFL circles Grigson is viewed as favorably as Ross. Unlike Chris Polian, who had little background in college scouting before being handed the Colts G.M. job, Grigson has paid his dues. He has lots of connections with schools in the Midwest and the East Coast.
So, for me, I'm very happy with this hire. Now, let's see if Grigson had bring the Colts into a successful new era.
0 recs | 61 comments
Seems like a winner to me.
A smart young guy that will be seen and not heard. I expect Irsay to be much more involved in the drafting and big decision making…I also wonder if this means they will go for a young hot coordinator…as a new 40 GM may want someone like himself to patrol the sidelines…
I’m hoping they get Mike Zimmer!
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Zimmer would be great.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
Count my vote for Zimmer!
Liberate MZ from the Cincinnati swamp. Great defensive mind, highest character you’re gonna find in today’s NFL.
Chopaholic - January 11, 2012 via Android app
Great point
about the college connections and “paying his dues”. That’s what irked me the most about the Christ Polian “Grandfathering”, the dude had such a slim resume outside of the franchise.
What direction do you think this takes the team scheme wise?
Or do you think that is more of a HC decision?
NanceyBoy - January 11, 2012
Good choice
Much like a draft pick, the next couple of years will show how good. If he is any good, his age and connection to Indiana make much sense. Irsay expressed that he wants a long term team in place and this should set the stage.
indylator - January 11, 2012
On the fence
Things look good on paper, but let’s see how it goes. I’m pretty optimistic though!!
Guy LeDouche - January 11, 2012
Im with LeDouche.
Grigson doesnt have much experience. That could be both good and bad. The good thing is, he shouldnt be set in his ways. He should be willing to bring in quality staff, coaches and scouts. Grigson should be willing to work with Irsay. The flip side is. Grigson is green, this is a major jump in job scope. Can he handle the pressure? Is Grigson a puppet? Is Grigson gonna have any say? Or, is Irsay going to do a Jerry Jones? Using Grigson as the face. One othet point, other than McCoy, Jackson, Celek and Maclin, who stands out on the Eagle roster that wasnt brought in as a free agent. I believe what does,.or doesnt happen to Caldwell with make it clear which direction we go. Im officially on the fence.
whardiek - January 11, 2012 via mobile
McCoy, Jackson, Celek, Maclin….That’s their whole offense…Except for Vick of course.
Coltsfan1345 - January 11, 2012
Next big announcement, Jim Caldwell.
PV Mike - January 11, 2012
YES YES YES YES YES YES
Guy LeDouche - January 11, 2012
Came here to say this.
Sparhawk - January 11, 2012
I wonder if there will be a Ryan Grigson Show?
indylator - January 11, 2012
And will it be blacked out!
Us 3 or 4 Colts fans out here in Seattle would like to be kept in the loop too!
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
And the one here in ellensburg too
splatoutofluck - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Other side of "the pass". Good stuff!
Nice to have some WA state representation on this blog! There are not many of us out here…
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
I am in Tacoma....
Odin1980 - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Tac Town In the House!
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
We grow stronger by the Minute!
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
206 represent
RWaynecrush - January 11, 2012
Doubt it.
GMs should run the team and let the HC be the face/voice of the team.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
don't quite get the hire
the eagles have not had strong drafts the last 2 years….but I will trust Irsay and give this guy the benefit of the doubt.
coltsgolfbeer - January 11, 2012
I am also concerned. The Eagles have relied heavily on vet FAs to little success
compared to the draft-heavy focus of such teams as the Pack, Pittsburgh, Balt, & the Colts
zherebyonki - January 11, 2012
they have generally relied on the draft
and i doubt it was grigson who decided to pick all the free agent this past season….i would presume that was on the gm, andy reid, and the owner.
BLOODontheTRACKS - January 11, 2012
i dunno... the guy was only their #2 since 2010... whereas the other parties you mention
have been constants, no? Grigson seems to be the variable that would explain the shift in philosophy last year for the FA-mad eagles
zherebyonki - January 11, 2012
that would defy logic
you really think a long time coach and gm are going walk to the beat of the director of player personnel? and from everything i have heard, grigson’s focus for the eagles was the draft.
BLOODontheTRACKS - January 12, 2012
I don't claim to know who did what inside the Eagles. But I wasn't totally illogical.
If, as you say, they are normally draft-reliant, then one of those long-time institutional presences decided to shift the S.O.P. last year and snatch up a bunch of vet FAs. Then they failed to have a winning record, let alone make the playoffs. I just figured the likeliest explanation was the newly-empowered guy.
zherebyonki - January 12, 2012
He was my 2nd choice but I'm pleased.
I had Marc Ross at the top of my list but I’m not hating this move either.
First up on the Ryan Grigson “TO DO” list………FIRE CALDWELL!!!
Blue Report - January 11, 2012
once he fires Caldwell ill love him!!!
bigpony - January 11, 2012
Firing Caldwell is immediate exec of the year material!
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
lol..That would some move!
67ChevILL - January 11, 2012
Its a great hire!!
I’ve read alot of shit talking on pro football talk and other sites where people keep mentioning the Eagles’ draft picks. According to every Eagles fan I’ve talked to, Reid did most of the draft picks, not Grigson. What this means to the Colts organization is that they will finally start incorporating free agents into the team to augment the draft picks. I remember how we were all pretty envious of the Eagles at the beginning of the season after they went out and signed all the new players. Hopefully we can be a part of that this year! Ohhhh, and he better fire his pal Curtis Painter!!!
Odin1980 - January 11, 2012
eagles have had solid drafts
…with the exception of Kevin Kolb, but they were smart enough to trade him and get some value back in return. Grigson wont have to wait until the 2nd rd to try to find a gem at QB in Indy, he can just use that #1 pick! He’ll do a fine job here
bigpony - January 11, 2012
i think kolb was a good draft pick
at the time Kolb was an A+ draft pick and only reason he is not playing in Philly is cause Vick has one hot year. Other then that he is a solid QB -that with the right system he could be great. Either way, they hyped him up as much as they could and then cut thier losses by trading him. was a good move all around.
67ChevILL - January 11, 2012
I like it.
There are a handful of top coaches, handful of top GM’s and handful of great QBs. As long as we are in the top of those groups, we’ll compete for the prize. I think we have done that with the GM, from what sources say. QB should be good….I guess HC is next.
GrizzColt - January 11, 2012
Boiler up!
And hammer down – as in finding a new head coach.
Yougotme - January 11, 2012
I'm on the fence
But only because I don’t know who he is and I haven’t seen his work. I’m obviously not in the said “football circles,” but instead I’m a regular fan, so there’s little chance I would have heard of anybody unless they were already a GM, a former GM, or somebody who I’ve seen in other GM searches for other teams before.
I’m confident that whomever Irsay picked was a good hire though, simply because he’s doen a good job in the past.
Sir Sci - January 11, 2012
Good move. I hope.
I am optimistic. Irsay made the tough decision to fire the Polians, and did some serious rock-turning by interviewing 7 candidates.
The guy is a former tackle in the NFL so hopefully the OL and DL will get some attention in drafts.
He also was with the Eagles when Jim Johnson was the DC so hopefully our defense will move in that direction.
The new HC will be interesting. Assuming they fire Caldwell (seems like a foregone conclusion), will they go with an experienced guy? If so, how will he handle answering to a GM almost as young as his kids? Will the HC and GM positions be about equal in power? Or will they go younger at HC too?
I can’t imagine Irsay will give Grigson the same level of power that he gave Polian.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
I always though on the org chart...
A Coach and GM should report to the owner…Not Coach to GM. Decisions should be made together. Both jobs are equally important. I want my coach to X-O scheme it up and to be the mouthpiece. IMO a GM should not have a show the coach should! I want my GM to make sure the front office is well staffed with marketing and scout experts and of course to be an excellent talent evaluator for the draft.
I was a supporter of Polian in spite of many of his flaws until it began to seem as if he was telling Caldwell who can play or who should dress on Sundays…that just can’t happen
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
I tend to agree
that they should be about equal, with separate and clearly-defined responsibilities.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
he was a tackle, sure, but it was a short career
zherebyonki - January 11, 2012
thanks to an injury
fanatik - January 11, 2012
well, he kept playing in the CFL for a year after washing out of the NFL
not that I think a GM has to have had some kind of standout career or anything
zherebyonki - January 11, 2012
Dream Team 2.0 ?
maybe this time- with less egos- it might just work!
67ChevILL - January 11, 2012
Oh yeah...
GRIGSON! That guy…
BenD - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Did Grigson handle free agency this past season, or was that Reid?
Because acquiring those free agents really helped the Eagles into the post season…
Oh, wait.
WaynesWorld - January 11, 2012
Was it the acquisition of the players
or was it the coaching/scheming that was the problem?
Jason Babin had 18 sacks so I’d call him a successful FA acquisition.
Asomugha and DRC are man-coverage corners that played a ton of zone for some reason, and then Aso got injured. I would put that more on Castillo not knowing how to use his players.
Bringing in VY was an inexcusably bad move so if Grigson was responsible for that he should be fired immediately. But I’m guessing that was Andy Reid thinking he could make him another pet QB project.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
I'd assume someone acquiring personnel would know how his coaches would incorporate the FA's.
If it was Reid’s decision, fine, he’s a dummy. I’m still skeptical, since the official announcement goes out of its way to talk about his free agent acquisitions.
Maybe he is on the Jim Irsay “Unity/One Voice/Candy Canes and Rainbows for all the little children” mindset. Until we see success, I’m going to be extremely worried.
WaynesWorld - January 11, 2012
That is your choice
I am choosing to be excited and positive instead.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
I believe it was both
Read my post below
They over upgraded in the secondary while their entire LB core was cut or left in FA, and they had scrubs and rookies in those positions…
The O-line was ignored so they could sign Babin and Jenkins to costly contracts
dezznutz1001 - January 11, 2012
is this the guy
who is responsible for the Eagles shitily built team? (yes it is, its LB corp was ignored for their secodnary, and theri O-line was ignored for position players and a couple D-lineman)
I hope not.
Does he have previous GM experience or is he just a Scout?
dezznutz1001 - January 11, 2012
I appluade everyones optimism here
But 633 people think hes a great hire. Of those 633, 632 havent heard of this guy before today!
LOL
dezznutz1001 - January 11, 2012
Anyone beats Chris Polian
Including me Fat DT, Deeznuts, Guy Le Douche, BBS and Stew!
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
Combined
the 6 of us actually have more NFL front office experience than CP did.
FatDT - January 11, 2012
Reading comprehension seems to have gone the way of the typewritter
His title was director of college scouting for most of his time with the Eagles, not the general manager. I think the only thing you can pin on him is draft choices for the past 9 years as it would appear that he was a highly influential voice in those decisions.
In 2010, just last year, he became director of Player Personel. So he probably had some input into the free agent acquistions of the Eagles this season. Some of them were good some were bad. But I think the Eagles lack of success can largely be blamed on poor line backers and putting mantoman coverage corners in zone coverage scheems. Also Vick’s injury didn’t help either.
But since he has never been the “Head Guy” we can’t know for certain what decisons he agreed with or didn’t for the entire Eagles Organization.
I think the Eagles have had pretty good drafts in the past 10 years. They have been perenial contenders.
Bakuto - January 11, 2012
Right
And no one should argue that the Eagles haven’t had good talent on the roster the past 10 years either.
AceOfSpades - January 11, 2012
I am good with the choice
Just not overly excited. What I am happy about is the potential the Colts go after a few free agents. I was really wanting Ross to make this draft one for the ages. What are the chances the new GM nabs Ross to be the VP. I know very unlikely, but hey I can dream!!!!! I hope he goes around the league to hire another young up and comer to help him out!
Dito29 - January 11, 2012
I wonder if he
drafted Hank Baskett in Philly. If so, I am jumping off a bridge. Sweet, sweet, irony.
conservativeCaldwell - January 11, 2012
I'm new around these parts
But I live in the Philadelphia area. Unfortunately this means that I am forced to remain abreast of all things Eagles. With that out of the way, let me state that this hire scares the living crap out of me.
Take a gander at the Birds’ recent drafts and you’ll see why:
http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftteam.htm?tm=PHI&lg=nfl
They occasionally hit pay-dirt with their picks (D. Jackson, McCoy, Westbrook) but they miss far too often for my liking. Lots of undersized linebackers and D-linemen, with a smattering of failed “projects” thrown in for good measure. They also have a knack for drafting dudes that get injured—all . . . the . . . time. They’re adept at finding gems in the later rounds, but with few exceptions their early round drafting history is what I would consider sub-par. If I’m being honest I’d say that their drafts look eerily similar to Polian drafts. Comforting . . .
If this guy brings Morhinweig in as HC I’m going to puke all over myself . . .
phony - January 11, 2012
I'm 100% sure Irsay would veto...
(206)NightRidah - January 11, 2012 via mobile
I still would've liked Marc Ross
But the Eagles recent drafts have been pretty good. Just hopefully he doesn’t have the BP mind of “free agency” is useless.
KBUnitz - January 12, 2012
As long as...
… he doesn’t bring in any dog-killers.
Jim Hinnant - January 13, 2012
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