Miami Dolphins executive on shortlist for Falcons GM position
The Miami Dolphins’ rebuild has been powered by the efforts of not just general manager Chris Grier and not just the coaching efforts of Brian Flores and his staff — but rather a talented group of evaluators who are also involved in Miami’s roster building efforts. Among them? Senior Personnel Executive Reggie McKenzie, who in the past has been charged with running the Las Vegas Raiders as their general manager from 2012 through 2018 before joining the Dolphins’ staff.
His experience in making personnel decisions has undoubtedly been a valuable piece of the puzzle for Miami — although his ability to provide the Dolphins key insights may be up in the air. Not because of any wrongdoing, but rather because McKenzie has been listed on a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter notating members of the Atlanta Falcons’ shortlist to fill their own general manager vacancy.
“The Falcons’ list includes former Texans GM Rick Smith, Bears assistant director of personnel Champ Kelly, Rams director of college scouting Brad Holmes and former Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie, among others, according to league sources,” wrote Schefter in his report.
It isn’t very often that a general manager gets a second chance at running a team, so we aren’t sure that McKenzie should be considered the frontrunner for the position. Also notable? McKenzie is given consideration for the Falcons job presumably ahead of Miami’s own assistant general manager, Marvin Allen. But the six years of experience McKenzie offers running a team certainly brought some valuable lessons — and McKenzie’s Raiders were, at their peak in 2016 — a 12-4 team buzzing with a young quarterback in Derek Carr. That season folded in on itself when Carr was injured late in the season and never recaptured that initial magic.
But if the Dolphins survive this 2021 wave of general manager hirings, they ought to brace themselves for some attrition. If the Dolphins continue to trend in the direction they appear to be, it won’t be long before the rest of the league comes calling and wants a piece of Miami’s front office formula for themselves; be it from McKenzie or somewhere else.
