5 NFL GMs in the firing line heading into the 2023 season
The general manager is one of the most important parts of an NFL team. If good decisions aren't being made from the top down, then a team is effectively doomed. It's impossible to win if a GM doesn't get good players or the right coaches.
As such, many teams see a revolving door of GMs. A few have already replaced their GMs from last year, like the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans. GMs change quite frequently and a few are certainly on the hot seat this year.
NFL GMs who are in danger of losing their job
5) Eric DeCosta, Baltimore Ravens
Eric DeCosta has been the GM of the Baltimore Ravens for a few years now. The Ravens are perennial contenders, but DeCosta needs to nail this offseason to avoid his seat getting even hotter.
The Lamar Jackson situation could make or break him. He and the Ravens have not shown Jackson that they truly want to retain him. It's not often that a former MVP in his prime leaves his first team, and the Ravens might gain that unfortunate distinction.
Additionally, he has struggled to draft well. On defense, he has selected and acquired a lot of good players, but he tends to ignore offense. When he does focus on offense, it usually isn't on the right players. He was even called out by one of his own wide receivers recently.
4) Mickey Loomis, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are facing an implosion. With several big-money contracts on the books and not a lot to show for it, the next season or two are monumental for the Saints and Mickey Loomis.
If the decision to sign Derek Carr doesn't pan out in a weak NFC South, then he could be replaced. The Saints have also made a few curious decisions in recent memory and it's going to take a good offseason and more to prove to Saints brass that Loomis is the man for the future.
The trade of Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos was a great start, but it doesn't matter much if they can't turn their resources into good players.
3) Tom Telesco, Los Angeles Chargers
Tom Telesco has drafted fairly well in recent memory, but the personnel decisions he has made have been questionable at best. Brandon Staley is a questionable NFL head coach and his staff wasn't good, either.
Staley blew an unbelievable lead in the playoffs and inexplicably played Mike Williams in Week 18 (leading to a season-ending injury). He could easily have lost his job.
That falls on the GM. They have a rare opportunity with a fairly strong roster (that needs more pieces to truly contend) and a quarterback on a rookie contract. Yet, Telesco can't take advantage of it and won't fire the coach that's holding them back.
2) Nick Caserio, Houston Texans
Nick Caserio is in the middle of a rebuild with the Houston Texans, but he also hired a new head coach and has the number two overall pick in the NFL draft. With a less than stellar track record, this offseason could be make or break.
If Demeco Ryans proves to be ill-suited as head coach, then the six-year contract he was given reflects poorly on Caserio. Whichever quarterback the Texans select had better be better than the ones that go after him or it will also reflect poorly.
1) George Paton, Denver Broncos
No NFL GM is in more danger of losing his job than George Paton. The Broncos GM took what was a very solid roster in need of just one player and turned them into a dumpster fire. His decision to trade for Russell Wilson has proven to be disastrous.
The decision to extend him as one of the NFL's highest-paid players before he even took a snap was even more disastrous. Hiring Nathaniel Hackett proved to be the worst head coaching hire in a long while.
To top it all off, he tried to salvage it by trading even more assets for Sean Payton. If that doesn't work, there's no way Paton survives the season.