Thoughts about the NFL GM "Inner Circle"

[Virgil]

I've always wondered about this. When a player is being offered for trade in the NFL, but they don't want it in the media, what does that communication look like? Is there like a mass eMail or something?

 

I'm not saying this to be funny or anything, I'm serious wondering if all the GM's have a way of communicating so that word gets out to everyone. More importantly, do teams with new GM's sometimes get hurt in regards to communication as they don't know about everything going on.

 

I thought about this when Sage Rosenfels got traded to the Giants for stones. I mean, honestly, this dude started and was pretty decent for Minnesota, and I wonder if Buffalo even had the chance to get him. Now, let me be clear, I'm not complaining that we didn't get him or anything like that. Maybe we did know and didn't want him. That really doesn't matter. I just wonder if we knew and how that all worked.

[drewfla]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

[nucci]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

What do you mean? When has he done this before this year?

[Nanker]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

 

Always? Really. Always.

Stunning display of ignorance.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Nanker

[Amstel]

Yes what do you mean about "sprinting in the first round pic"? this was the first time he officially ran a draft

[The Dean]

I'd guess the discussion can happen any number of ways. But as has been pointed out, never discount the good old boy network. You may owe the GM of another team on making a trade easy by throwing in a 6th rounder last time, or agreeing on some conditional terms quickly. Agents may even be involved in some of these deals.

 

But in general I think a GM picks up the phone and calls a team/teams he thinks are likely to want to make a trade. He may even ask the player if he has a preference and maybe the agent has some of the early discussions.

 

And Nix may be disliked or untrusted, but I think it's more likely he is simply new to the GM position. Yes he was assistant GM and very involved in SD (so he has experience) but he wasn't The Man there so other GMs probably don't owe him any favors or don't have an established working relationship with him. Just a thought.

[Dennis in NC]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

You feel Nix may not be well liked among GMs? Pure speculation on your part, isn't it? Just a feeling?

 

 

We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick.

 

Sure, "we" the fans talk about it. But we know zilch about what is really occurring.

 

 

"always sprinting in the first round pick" - it happened in 2010, never before, so forget about your "always"

 

Completely off base? Probably, yes.

[ChasBB]

I'd guess the discussion can happen any number of ways. But as has been pointed out, never discount the good old boy network. You may owe the GM of another team on making a trade easy by throwing in a 6th rounder last time, or agreeing on some conditional terms quickly. Agents may even be involved in some of these deals.

 

But in general I think a GM picks up the phone and calls a team/teams he thinks are likely to want to make a trade. He may even ask the player if he has a preference and maybe the agent has some of the early discussions.

 

And Nix may be disliked or untrusted, but I think it's more likely he is simply new to the GM position. Yes he was assistant GM and very involved in SD (so he has experience) but he wasn't The Man there so other GMs probably don't owe him any favors or don't have an established working relationship with him. Just a thought.

I think that is exactly how it happens -- he simply analyzes other team's strengths and weaknesses, puts himself in the other GM's shoes and simply works his way down a prioritized (and likely short) list of trading partner candidates to see if he gets any bites.

Edited September 7, 2010 by ChasBB

[Bob in STL]

I've always wondered about this. When a player is being offered for trade in the NFL, but they don't want it in the media, what does that communication look like? Is there like a mass eMail or something?

 

I'm not saying this to be funny or anything, I'm serious wondering if all the GM's have a way of communicating so that word gets out to everyone. More importantly, do teams with new GM's sometimes get hurt in regards to communication as they don't know about everything going on.

 

I thought about this when Sage Rosenfels got traded to the Giants for stones. I mean, honestly, this dude started and was pretty decent for Minnesota, and I wonder if Buffalo even had the chance to get him. Now, let me be clear, I'm not complaining that we didn't get him or anything like that. Maybe we did know and didn't want him. That really doesn't matter. I just wonder if we knew and how that all worked.

 

Trades are very rare. They were common in the 60s and early 70s but now they are rare.

Salary cap and free agency have something to do with it but even before that teams tended to stay with their own players. Teams rarely ever trade within their division.

 

I am sure there are more sophisticated methods than mass email to get the word out. Email is a crappy way to communicate. Picking up a phone and talking is much more effective as you can learn as you talk and you can develop relationships (network). Pretty much everyone in the business knows everyone else. Many coaches and FO people have served on several teams. There is a "good'ole boy" network just like in any other businesss.

 

Final comment ... Sage Rosenthal was nothing but average or less. His availabilty was not a big deal to any of the teams. It was not like John Elway was on the tading block. If I were trading a player I would look for the best offer and not try to make some secret deal that was "good enough". I would also try to keep the media out of it, futher supporting one-on-one discussions.

[notwoz]

Sage Rosenthal was nothing but average or less.

That's it in a nutshell.

Bob summed it up well. There is no secret handshake involved, just a lot of networking that goes on ever day.

 

Word gets out that Rosenfels is available .. you have 31 other GMs who look at their rosters and say, "Gee I already have a mediocre backup, but thanks anyway."

[Malazan]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

 

 

This may be the worst post ever. What leads you to believe he isn't well liked beyond your 'hunch'? *Always* sprinting to get in the first round pick? He's had one.

 

Did MPL make a second account?

[USA6seat]

 

Word gets out that Rosenfels is available .. you have 31 other GMs who look at their rosters and say, "Gee I already have a mediocre backup, but thanks anyway."

 

I bet that the team lets the player's agent know that he can seek out a trade and the agent approaches the various teams, reports back on interest and the GMs get it done. That makes the most sense to me.

I don't think its like an old boys club where the GM's all gather around with drinks and cigars and talk about who they can ship where.

 

Just my opinion

[The Dean]

I bet that the team lets the player's agent know that he can seek out a trade and the agent approaches the various teams, reports back on interest and the GMs get it done. That makes the most sense to me.

I don't think its like an old boys club where the GM's all gather around with drinks and cigars and talk about who they can ship where.

 

Just my opinion

 

 

Well, considering the GMs are in all (or mostly) in different cities, I think you're right about that. But that doesn't mean there is an established network of guys who know each other and do business together. Back in the day, the Browns and the Bills used to do favors for one another on a regular basis...or so it seemed.

[peteski]

A GM will tell Adam Schefter and then he tells the world.

[notwoz]

I bet that the team lets the player's agent know that he can seek out a trade and the agent approaches the various teams, reports back on interest and the GMs get it done. That makes the most sense to me.

I don't think its like an old boys club where the GM's all gather around with drinks and cigars and talk about who they can ship where.

 

Just my opinion

Makes sense. The agent needs his percentage of the players' salary in order to buy his new Ferrari or pay for his wife's latest plastic surgery, so let him do the leg work.

 

Back in the day, the Browns and the Bills used to do favors for one another on a regular basis...or so it seemed.

That very well could be. In fact, didn't Ralph Wilson slip Al Davis $500K or so to keep the Oakland Raiders afloat way back when. I don't think any teams will be doing each other favors today with the new breed of owners like Dan Snyder and Jerry Jones

[EastRochBillsfan]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

what? No offense, but that's gotta be one of the stupidest things i have ever heard. What in the world ever gave you this feeling? Please, you must elaborate.

 

This may be the worst post ever. What leads you to believe he isn't well liked beyond your 'hunch'? *Always* sprinting to get in the first round pick? He's had one.

 

Did MPL make a second account?

Thats funny, that's who I think Merle Haggart is.

[BillsPhan]

I've always wondered about this. When a player is being offered for trade in the NFL, but they don't want it in the media, what does that communication look like? Is there like a mass eMail or something?

 

I'm not saying this to be funny or anything, I'm serious wondering if all the GM's have a way of communicating so that word gets out to everyone. More importantly, do teams with new GM's sometimes get hurt in regards to communication as they don't know about everything going on.

 

I thought about this when Sage Rosenfels got traded to the Giants for stones. I mean, honestly, this dude started and was pretty decent for Minnesota, and I wonder if Buffalo even had the chance to get him. Now, let me be clear, I'm not complaining that we didn't get him or anything like that. Maybe we did know and didn't want him. That really doesn't matter. I just wonder if we knew and how that all worked.

 

You are forgetting every team has a Pro Player Personnel Manager, or Director, such as Doug Whaley with the Bills. I'm sure Whaley knew Rosenfels was in play before the trade came down, or he was not doing his job. If Nix wanted to get in the mix, he could have, in my humble opinion.

[notwoz]

 

 

 

Thats funny, that's who I think Merle Haggart is.

I think it's Merle Haggard/Dr Zaius.

[PromoTheRobot]

I think its like a lot of things in business. You deal with the people you like and know. For some reason I get the feeling Nix isn't really well liked in GM circles. Maybe it relates to how things ended in SD. We always talk about the possible trade ups in the draft yet Nix is always sprinting in the first round pick. I may be completely off base here but yes Rosenfels would have been better than Fitzy and Brohm.

It happened once, so now it's "always"??

 

PTR

Edited September 7, 2010 by PromoTheRobot