Replacing Grigson: What Does Move Mean?
Philly.com, Inquirer, and Daily News coverage of the Eagles
Replacing Grigson: What Does Move Mean?
Les Bowen
Got the first e-mail early this morning from a Midwest reporter, looking for me to fill him in on Ryan Grigson, the Eagles' player personnel director who will be introcuced as the Indianapolis Colts' GM at 4 p.m. today.
My response was less than helpful. I know Grigson is a really, really big guy (6-6, 290) who played tight end and offensive tackle at Purdue. I know at Senior Bowl practices, Grigson and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman were inseparable. I know he's polite, always says "hi." I know the Eagles value his scouting expertise very highly, he rose steadily through the ranks over nine seasons, after being hired as a Western scout.
Roseman issued a statement today: “Although we will miss Ryan personally and professionally we could not be happier for him. He has been a great advisor to me and somebody I have leaned on to bounce ideas off of many times over my career. He leaves no stone left unturned in his efforts to find good players and we were lucky to have him here in Philadelphia. In addition to his skills as a talent evaluator, we can’t say enough about Ryan as a person. He is one of the best family men I have come across in the NFL and we wish he, Cynthia and his children all the best.”
But the Eagles don't make it easy to know people in positions such as Grigson's. He was not allowed to do more than exchange pleasantries with reporters. Anything the Eagles had to say about scouting or the draft had to go through Roseman, not Grigson.
My impression is that Grigson was basically the college scouting guy -- the Eagles don't currently have anyone with the title of "director of college scouting." Grigson runs the draft prep, and pro personnel director Louis Riddick runs pro scouting, for the guys you nab off other teams' cut lists and the like.
So, although Riddick has the title just below Grigson on the personnel side, it might not be logical to assume he'll get the vacated job -- he isn't really a college scout. Likewise, former Ravens and Browns exec Phil Savage works in more of an advisory capacity to Roseman, he is not a full-time scouting employee either.
It'll be interesting to see if the Eagles go outside the organization for a replacement. That might be thorny, given that Roseman didn't come up through the scouting ranks and has never worked for another organization -- he wouldn't seem to have a deep list of former coworkers to work from there.
On Igglesblitz.com, Tommy Lawlor suggests current assistant director of college scouting Anthony Patch is the logical guy to succeed Grigson. Given that we're talking about the secretive Eagles here, I have never met Antony Patch and wouldn't know him from Patch Adams, but he is indeed a college scouting guy who has been with the organization longer (10 seasons) than anyone else on the scouting side.
Of course, Patch could end up going with Grigson, as could other scouts, as usually happens in such situations. But as Lawlor points out, scouts' contracts usually expire right AFTER the draft, so losing Grigson won't necessarily hamstring the Birds heading into April.
Couple other points: Lots of folks are suggesting that Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg would be a logical head coach for the Colts, give that they are expected to draft Andrew Luck first overall. That part makes sense. But a decade has passed since Marty's two-year tenure as a head coach in Detroit. Yes, all that was pretty much Matt Millen's fault, but I think a lot of NFL people think like I do -- Marty is a great guy, wonderful to talk football with, maybe a genius in his own quirky way, but there is that word "quirky." Marty kind of comes off in public like your beloved absent-minded uncle. There was a time, before every minute of every NFL day was chronicled on the league's own network, before YouTube and Twitter, when eccentric, off-beat people got NFL head coaching jobs. I'm not sure that time hasn't passed.
Last year, the Eagles really pushed the idea of Marty as head coach in Cleveland, where former Eagles GM Tom Heckert and Andy Reid mentor Mike Holmgren run the shop. Holmgren, of course, also has extensive history with Mornhinweg. Marty didn't get an interview. They hired Pat Shurmur, who once was the Eagles' quarterbacks coach under Marty.
Also, Grigson is a bit of a surprise hire to replace Bill Polian. The emergence of Colts owner Jim Irsay's public persona over the past few years -- the funniest NFL owner on Twitter, hands down -- raises the question of whether Irsay perhaps sees himself as a midwestern Jerry Jones. Will Grigson really be hiring the coach? Is it a coincidence that to replace Polian, a longtime NFL heavyweight who left no doubt who was running the show, the Colts picked a man who doesn't turn 40 until next month and has always been a behind-the-scenes sort of person?
One things for sure: On draft day, when Roseman gets the urge to stockpile more sixth-round draft picks, he has more options than just Heckert when he picks up the phone. Prepare to see some recyled Eagles draftees in Colts uniforms next season.
No wonder he's eccentric/offbeat. Imagine all those times he had to say "It's MornHENweg. MornHENweg. Like a HEN going to WEGman's in the MORNing" and stuff like that?— Leegles- "So, although Riddick has the title just below Grigson on the personnel side, it might not be logical to assume he'll get the vacated job -- HE ISN'T REALLY A COLLEGE SCOUT."
And Roseman was?
- it boggles my mind why any team would pluck a scout from the eagles. their draft record, especially in the first three rounds, has been indisputably hideous. This is another example of league-wide folks glorifying a team, and its personnel, that hasn't done anything above sub-par in 5 seasons.— jb99
Comment removed.- If he recommended the offensive choices, then losing him is bad news for the Eagles. If he recommended the defnsive choices, then it's VERY good news!— banned
- Leegles, why waste your time and mine? Moron.— JBinPA
- LeSean McCoy - round 2. Nate Allen - round 2. Danny Watkins - round 1. Maclin - round 1. DeSean Jackson - round 2. Kevin Kolb - round 2. all starters, all above average players drafted late in the 1st round or in the 2nd round. last 4 drafts. i'd say first 2 rounds have been pretty good. Name another team that has gotten Maclin - Jackson - McCoy quality players drafting 16th overall or lower out of the last 3 drafts. You can't. Round 3 I agree with you, but I am fine with their first and 2nd rounders the last 4 years.— LJ14
- Comment removed.
- Wow, i missed the memo on Nate Allen being above average, compared to what, same with Watkins? How about this, 2011 Jarrett, Marsh, Matthews were the next selections, how did they work out? 2010..Graham, Allen, Teo Nesheim? WOW, I'm excited now! 1st and 2nd round picks should be above average and starting. Its the mid round picks that make the difference — Mottz
- Kevin Kolb is on the verge of being cut and you consider him above average? Reid doesn't trade away good players..Don't believe me? Look up the Arizona Republic newspaper. Lots of talk of Kolb being replaced — crohnkiller
- Michael Vick just passeed some gas......what does that mean? Beagles fans are obsessed. Get some help.— dontlikeneocons
- Who said Michael Vick regressed........you. Probably don't even know what the word "regressed" means. Just heard some other unprofessional nut say it, and then you jumped on it. — charmaine
- Who said Michael Vick regressed........you. Probably don't even know what the word "regressed" means. Just heard some other unprofessional nut say it, and then you jumped on it. — charmaine
- I never said "regressed" numb nuts. I have two degrees, what do you have genius? I'd conquer you in a battle of wits, knowledge, even an eating contest any day of the week. — dontlikeneocons
- Juan Castillo's new position? Makes about as much sense as DC did last year!— gdibig
